Heroes and Cons
by iDemon101
Summary: Sequel to Connections. While Batman and Wonder Woman work through Batman's numerous issues, new enemies emerge, placing the entire world in grave peril.
1. Vengeance is Mine

Author's Note: Here we go again. I don't have much to say here; it'll be much easier to explain after this chapter, so be sure to check the second Author's Note. Just one note; this takes place about three months after the event of Connections. This is a sequel; make sure that you read the original first. Now... Let's get this thing moving!

The Joker sat in his permanent cell at Arkham asylum, his arms held crossed over his chest by a straightjacket. He whistled and hummed to himself; after spending so many years in an asylum, he'd become very good at entertaining himself; not that that had ever been much of an issue for him. He rocked back and forth rhythmically, trying hard to combat the boredom. Still he had an interesting feeling. He'd always been very good about knowing when something fun was going to happen, and he could feel something great brewing.

He stopped rocking for a moment, thinking that he'd heard something. It sounded like laughter- not the hearty laughter that was constantly echoing around his head, but a different, more growling, guttural laugh. He listened closely for a moment, but heard nothing.

He then remembered that he was in an insane asylum, and laughed out loud at his own foolishness. He resumed rocking back and forth, waiting for the minutes to pass. He stopped to cough briefly- he was still recovering from the beating that he'd received at the hands of Batman. He fondly remembered the encounter; the fun was worth all the pain and incarceration. He knew that he wasn't like the Penguin or any of Batman's other enemies, because he didn't think of Batman as an enemy. The the Joker, he was more of a friendly rival. So it didn't really matter to him if his plans succeeded as long as he had a good time, which he always did. He resumed his rocking and loud humming, ignoring complaints from the neighboring cells.

He didn't stop again for the rest of the day. However, as night fell, he noticed a pair of glowing yellow eyes outside of his window. He stood up quickly, having years' worth of practicing moving around in a straightjacket. He hopped over to the window; he was perfectly capable of walking, but decided that hopping would be more interesting. He reached the window and intently stared back at the eyes. He flashed a grin.

"Hi. What's your name?"

He received no response. Not wanting to be a bad host, he continued to talk. "I would shake your hand, but I'm a little tied up right now." He laughed heartily, but the eyes didn't speak. The Joker began to wonder if they were simply a figment of his twisted imagination, but quickly realized that if they were, they would definitely be laughing with him. He continued to stare for a moment, before hearing a menacing growl fro the window.

"Get back."

"Why should I? You didn't even say please... Rude."

"Get back."

"Sheesh. Some people are all business. Huh."

The Joker grumbled for a moment, before retreating towards the glass door of his cell. He heard a faint beeping noise, and then a clicking. In a flash of green, a large portion of his cell wall had vanished into thin air, apparently having been vaporized somehow.

The mysterious figure was bathed in the light of the cell. The Joker saw a tall man in what seemed to be a green suit of armor. He wore a hideous mask, with an elongated head and a face that was fixed into a toothy grin. He was standing some kind of silver hovercraft, floating lightly outside of the Joker's cell. The alarms began to wail, and lights flashed.

The Joker looked at the intruder with a look of intense concentration.

"Say... I know you. You're that... Gnome guy. Right? "

"Goblin."

"Right, that's it... You know, most of the time I don't approve of people stealing my image... But you seem to pull it off quite well." He looked the Green Goblin up and down, taking in his appearance. "Anyway... You, Mr. Goblin, owe me a new wall."

"Don't worry about it. You're not staying here anyway."

The Joker focused on him. "Interesting. Where are we going?"

"I need a favor. You see, I think that I can make good use of your... Unique talents, shall we say."

"Hm... But what's in it for me?"

The Goblin cackled. "You require nothing. I know very well that you do what you do simply for the pleasure of it. You need no reward."

The Joker nodded approvingly. "Hard to argue when you put it that way... Alright, count me in. I never miss a good party, you know."

Two hospital guards who had been fumbling with the door finally barged in; the Goblin fired lasers from the front of his glider, killing both guards instantly. He swooped into the cell and grabbed the Joker by the back of his straightjacket.

More guards poured into the cell, only to see the Joker flying away over the ocean, laughing and kicking his legs as he went.

Author's note: First off, the kickass JLU theme would go here. So if you want to go listen to that, go ahead. I'll wait. Ready? Alright. So... Like I said above, This takes place about three months after the first story. Don't worry about the protagonists just yet, I'll fill you in on them in the next chapter, so just sit tight for a little bit. It may seem like I'm just lifting ideas from my last story, but don't worry. I'm going to shape things up soon.

Now for a few notes on continuity. Please note that any character not featured normally in JL/ the DCAU is based out of their movie history; for example, the Green Goblin here is taken out of the recent Spiderman trilogy. Now you may be saying "But wait a minute... The Green Goblin Died in the first Spiderman movie!" Don't worry, I've got that shit covered. He died in the comics once too, and yet here we are. Nobody stays dead in the comics. Nobody. So unless otherwise noted, keep the movies in mind. I'll try to keep the references light for those who haven't seen/ don't want to see them.

Now... About my schedule. I'll be writing like a beast today and tomorrow. This story won't pick up as fast as the last one; I had to wait for 's two day waiting period before I could publish, so I had about seven chapters done by the time I could post. That won't happen this time, so you guys will just have to wait a bit and take the chapters as they come. I'll be writing like a beast today and tomorrow, but on Thursday-Sunday, I'll be doing long shifts at work. So my posting could be somewhat limited. Like before, I'll try to keep up.

Sorry about the wait from the last chapter, but I figured that I was entitled to just a little break after the last story. There are a few factors in that; first off, I've been busy, and haven't had much time to write. Second, I had to get my shit straight for this story. I still only have a very vague outline of what's going to happen. But it's going to be big. That much I can tell you. What I have down is going to be good. Unless I decide to scrap that and move it to another story, but I think that it can work here. I'll be going for more of an adventure/quest type thing here, so this one could take a while to finish. Anyway, I'm sorry about the wait, but I think that I deserved a little break. I did finish a 34 chapter story in just about two or three weeks, after all. Anyway, I'll get back to writing later tonight, and I hope to have the next chapter up very soon. I'm excited to write it, so I hope that you'll like it. Tell me where you think this plot is going; I bet that you can't guess what I have in mind here, but I'd love to hear some predictions. And once again, I have to apologize for writing an A/N that's longer than the actual chapter. It'll get better as the story goes on and I have less that I have to explain.


	2. I Finally Found my Way to you

Author's Note: Wow. I'm really impressed, you guys. I really expected this story to take a while to get attention, but you proved me wrong. I thought that because this is a sequel, it wouldn't attract much attention in the archives, and I assumed that it would take the people who were following my last story a while to find it, considering how few people put me on author alerts. But I'm delighted to say that the following is picking up fast (even faster than Connections, I believe). So thank you for proving me wrong. I hope that you guys liked the last chapter, and that this one will be even better.

By the way... I forgot to mention that this will incorporate the events of the Under the Red Hood movie; but only to a very small extent.

Clark Kent pulled into the chapel parking lot and stepped out of his car. He closed the door very carefully, try to avoid damaging it. He looked at his watch. _'8:00. Right on time.'_ He thought to himself. He slowly approached the building, stopping at the door. He shook his head for a moment. This was a day that he'd never thought would happen. The reality of it was almost staggering. He took a deep breath, bracing himself for what he would see inside.

He pushed the doors open. The room was almost empty; the chapel was beautifully decorated. The few who were there were dressed in their best clothes. He stepped inside, and moved to talk to a short, dark haired woman. He tapped her on the shoulder to get her attention.

"Hello, Zatanna."

"Superman! Or... You go by Clark too, right?"

Clark smiled and nodded before getting to the point.

"Where's Bruce?"

Zatanna stood on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear.

"He's in there." She said, pointing at a door of to the side of the room. "As a matter of fact, I think it would be good if you went to talk to him. But be careful. He's way out of his comfort zone."

Clark nodded, and walked over to the door. He knocked gently, but there was no answer. He knocked again, harder this time.

"Bruce? You in there?"

Still no answer. Clark tried to open the door, only to find that it was locked. He sighed, and pushed down a little harder on the handle, breaking it in the process. The door swung open.

Bruce Wayne stood in front of the window, intently staring at the grass outside. He was dressed in his finest tuxedo. Clark approached him from behind.

"Bruce?" He began cautiously. "Are you alright?"

"Fine."

"Alright... I was just wondering how you were doing. Zatanna seemed a little worried..."

"Fine."

Clark narrowed his eyes. "Bruce... Are you sure you're alright?"

He grabbed Bruce by the shoulder, and turned him around.

The sight that met him was one that he'd been sure that he'd never see. Bruce's eyes were wide, and his pupils were fully dilated. His face, normally just a bit pale, was completely void of color. His breathing was heavily, and appeared to be very strained.

"Clark..."

"Bruce... What's wrong?"

Bruce shook his head. "It's nothing... I'm just..." His voice trailed off.

"Come on, Bruce. Talk about it. Maybe you'll feel better." He surveyed Bruce quickly. "And it looks like you really need it..."

Bruce tried to tighten his resolve, but to no avail. The words came out of his mouth before he could stop them. "I can't do this..." He mumbled.

Clark's eyes widened. "What do you mean."

"I can't do it... I just can't..." He bowed his head in shame.

"Why why on Earth not?"

"I don't... I don't know. I just... Can't." He said, burying his head in his hands.

Clark pulled over a chair, and pushed Bruce onto it. He knelt down to look him in the eyes. "Look, Bruce. You have to do this. No matter what you want to tell yourself, this is the best thing for Diana. And for you. Where's the Bru... Batman that I know? Where's all that courage? Bruce, you're a thinker. And you're great at it. But sometimes, you can't think too much. Sometimes you have to act. I know that you know the right thing to do, because you always do. So I'm counting on you to do the right thing tonight." He patted Bruce on the shoulder. "You get me?"

Bruce looked up. "You're right."

Clark turned to leave and give Bruce his space, but was stopped by a hand on his arm. He turned to face Bruce again.

"Thanks, Clark. You're a... You're a good friend."

"Anytime, Bruce. Don't mention it."

"I won't."

Clark smiled as he turned to leave. He walked back out to the main room to find Zatanna waiting for him. "Well?" She asked expectantly.

"It looks like we've found the one thing that the Big Bad Batman is afraid of."

"And that is...?"

"Commitment."

Meanwhile, Diana prepared herself. She took a look in the mirror; she had decided against her ceremonial amazonian armor in favor of a more traditional dress. She wasn't quite sure what to make of it; she couldn't remember the last time her legs had been covered completely.

"You look fine."

Diana's warrior reflexes kicked into action, and she whirled around. She saw a tall man leaning against the door. Like every other man in the building, he was wearing a tuxedo. His hair appeared to have been combed, but it was still unruly and sticking out in strange places.

"Who are you?"

The stranger slapped his forehead. "Geez! I'm sorry!" He stuck his hand out. I'm Dick Grayson."

The name clearly rung a bell in her mind. "Wait... You're Bruce's foster son?"

"Guilty."

"He did a good job with you... I didn't hear you come in."

"I guess that you could say that." An awkward silence arose for a moment before Dick spoke.

"Anyway... I came because I need a favor."

"I'll do anything that I can."

"Good... But it's not going to be easy. I guess I'll just cut to the chase... Batman needs a new Robin."

Diana looked at him in surprise. "I'm sorry... But what do you mean?"

"I mean that since he lost Jason, he's been off his game... And it's gotten worse since Jason came back. Having him as enemy has been really hard for Bruce. And I think that having a new Robin will take some of the strain off of him."

"So... You're saying that you want to be Robin again? Bruce gave the impression that you were happy as Nightwing..."

Dick laughed heartily. "No, I could never go back to that. I've found a new guy. Sort of an old friend. He's very athletic, but he completely needs training, Which Bruce'll love. I was going to introduce them soon... But That's where you come in. He's not going to like the idea, and he's going to reject it. You know how it goes."

Diana nodded; she knew very well. It had taken years of working together before Bruce had responded to her advances at all, and even then he reacted with dismissal.

"So. I'm going to need you to to help him warm up to the idea. I'm hoping that just having you around might loosen him up a bit, but it could still take some doing."

"... Are you sure that you can convince him? He has to be the most stubborn man on the planet."

Dick laughed again. "I worked with Bruce for years. The man raised me. I know how he thinks. I can get in his head. It's all about knowing what buttons to push. But..." His face reverted to a serious expression. "If I do manage to convince him... Then I need you to make sure that he doesn't ride him too hard. That's the mistake he made with me. Batman has his burdens... But so does Robin."

Diana nodded understandingly. "Thats sounds good. I'll help you in any way that I can."

Dick nodded and turned to leave, before Diana spoke. "Wait a minute... After you decided to become Nightwing... Why didn't you join up with the Justice League? You would've made quite an addition, and from what I've heard, you're a much better team player than Bruce. He told me that you made quite a name for yourself as a member of the Titans... So why not the Justice League?"

Dick thought for a moment. "That's a good question... It's hard to answer it, though. I guess that I just got sick of it. As I'm sure that you'll find out, working with Bruce isn't easy. You have to be able to stick up for yourself. I wasn't very good at it. And I guess that that just put me off working as part of a team. What you have to understand, is that I was Bruce's partner for many years-"

Diana shot him a strange look. He glared back at her.

"Why the hell does everybody always think that? Don't answer, I know why, It was the goddamn shorts. Always the goddamn shorts... Anyway... Working with Bruce really tired me out. I figured out eventually that enough was enough, and that I had to try going solo for a while, and see what I could do on my own. Working with the Titans... or Batman... It's hard to measure up. Whenever you get something done, it feels like it was always somebody else who did it. I felt that I had to get away from that. Unfortunately... It didn't quite work out the way I planned. I changed my name, and moved to a new town... But people still think of me as Robin." He laughed a little. "But you don't need to hear about my problems. Just enjoy yourself today."

"Thanks, Dick."

He left the room as silently as he'd entered, leaving her to ponder his request.

Bruce stood at the altar. His years of practice had allowed him to conceal his emotions, but he hadn't managed to truly silence them yet. Which was unfortunate, because he was only a couple steps away from a major breakdown. It frustrated him that he was letting his emotions get the best of him, but there was nothing he could do. For the first time in a long time, he felt helpless. There was nothing in the world that he hated more. But there was no prospect of escape. But... Then again he didn't really _want_ to escape. But his contentment with being trapped only frustrated him more. As he delved deeper and deeper into these feelings, he remembered Clark's advice about thinking too much, and realized that his own thoughts were beginning to confuse him. _'What the hell did I get myself into?'_

His musings were interrupted by a nudge from Dick, who was standing at his side in the best man's spot. Bruce realized that he'd been staring at the floor for the past few minutes. He forced himself to snap back to reality. He looked up, and saw Diana standing at the end of the aisle, wearing a flowing white gown. He felt his stone-faced facade crack as his jaw dropped a little. After that, everything was just a blur to him. He wished that he'd been a bit more coherent during the ceremony, but he counted himself lucky that he managed to recite his vows without passing out. While it was a happy day for Bruce Wayne, but in many ways it was the low point of his career as Batman.

The party that ensued after the ceremonies lasted until dawn. The group was small (being limited to those who knew Batman's secret identity), but they still managed to have a good time. Notable occurrences included John Stewart, the Green Lantern loosening his inhibitions and dancing with Shayera Hol (with whom he still maintained what he called a 'platonic relationship'), and Wally West, the Flash, who had obviously had a bit more champagne than he was used to drunkenly rambling to Clark and Zatanna, who were half listening. His speech was slurred but incredibly fast, making him nearly unintelligible. "I mean... I mean... How's he do it? I mean he's Bruce Wayne then BAM! he the freakin Batman. Wha... Wha's up with that? Imean come on... How's he get the chicks? Really? I mean it. _I'm the fastest man alive._ But I can't get a date... 'Cause the freakin BATMAN has 'em all. I'll... I'll tell ya... BATMAN, that's who." He mumbled before collapsing on the table in front of him.

After the ceremony, friends took to the mic to deliver their tributes to the new union. The first

"You sure can throw a party, Bruce."

"It's a specialty." He responded from the crowd.

"I've got to admit, it sounds pretty funny hear you say that." She purred lightly. "Anyway... Today is a sad day for the ladies of Gotham... The day that both Batman and Bruce Wayne finally got off the market."

"SERVE'S 'IM RIGHT! ... Being of the market an' all... Damn Batman..." Wally mumbled, lifting his head for a moment, before falling again.

Everybody laughed for a moment before Selina continued her speech, finishing with a toast.

By the end of the night, Bruce had calmed down considerably. By the time the limo arrived, both Bruce and Diana were exhausted. They entered the limo, and Diana sat on Bruce's lap, and watched as the rest of the wedding guests waved them off.

"So..." Diana began as she turned to face Bruce. "Do you have plans for a honeymoon?"

"Yes. But not yet. We have business." Bruce pushed a button on the ceiling of the limo, activating the intercom. "Alfred. We need to make a quick stop at the manor, and then we're headed to the airport. I have an old friend coming to town tomorrow, and I don't want to miss him."

Alfred's voice issued over the intercom. "Of course sir. Should I pull into the Batcave?"

"No Alfred. This is a job for Bruce Wayne, I think."

"Very well, sir."

Bruce and Diana briefly stopped at Wayne Manor to change clothes. Bruce put on one of his more casual business suits, and Diana changed into her street clothes. In a matter of minutes, they were off to Gotham Airport.

Bruce's connections easily allowed them to get close to the runway that the private jet would be landing on. About fifteen minutes after their arrival, the jet appeared on the horizon. It screamed down onto the landing strip, screeching to a halt about twenty yards in front of them.

Bruce and Diana watched as the door of the jet opened. An airport employee brought over a set of stairs so that the jet could get down. From the shadows emerged the figure of and old man; his hair was grayed in parts, and there were deep shadows under his eyes. As he began to slowly walk down the stairs, another figure appeared behind him. This time, a strikingly beautiful young woman appeared. She was wearing a purple catsuit, and her dark brown hair covered one eye. As she emerged from the plane, she noticed Bruce. She looked at him thoughtfully for a moment before speaking in a thick accent;

"Beloved?"

Bruce felt his blood run cold. _'Oh, shit.'_ He thought to himself.

Author's Note: DUN DUN DUN! And the plot thinnens!

Well... It isn't as soon as I promised, but it's about three times as long as I planned. Anyway... As I was writing this, I realized that the way that I was introducing characters made them seem like OCs. Rest assured that I'll avoid using OCs, just because that's my policy. Some people can flawlessly integrate them into a story, others... Let's just say 'can't'. I have a feeling that I would fit into the latter category. So I'll just try to stay away from that for now. Anyway, I'm sorry that this chapter is late. I kind of just kept writing. So it ended up being really long. I know that the characters seem out of character, but it was kind of intentional. I was experimenting with having characters react to being in radically different situations. I think it came out alright, most of it was just a bit of a joke to make the story flow a bit more. But there'll be a bit more introduction into the the plot. It's going to get weird. The only word that I can use to describe what I have in mind is 'mindfuck.' So be ready. I might sleep in a bit tomorrow because it's my last day of freedom before going back to work (25 hours in four days seems like a lot when your job is to walk around a parking lot gathering grocery carts). But no worries, I'll be back tomorrow to shed some light on this mysterious man and woman, although I'm sure that many of you DCAU fans already know. So I'll be back then. By the way; today's hit count was the highest one yet; I haven't been able to get that many hits since the day I posted 'Connections.' You guys are the best, which is why I stayed up until 3:45 AM to finish this for you. Thank you all so much for all of your support.

So... What the hell was up with those shorts anyway? Seriously.


	3. The Judas Kiss

Bruce felt Diana's eyes drilling holes in the back of his head. She stepped closer to him to hiss in his ear.

"Did she just say _'beloved?"_

Bruce nodded sheepishly. "It's a long story. I'll explain later."

"Bruce... I love you and I trust you." She whispered. "But if this is what it looks like, I'll punch a hole through your head."

Bruce nodded again.

The dark haired woman continued to stare at him. "Beloved? Vhat are you doing here?"

"Hello, Talia."

The old man slowly approached Bruce, followed closely by Talia.

"Well, Detective. Once again, I must say that I'm impressed. I was sure that we'd meet again during my time in Gotham... But I didn't expect to run into you this quickly. Once again, I'll make a note never to underestimate you."

Bruce turned to Diana. "Diana... Meet Ra's and Talie al Ghul." He faced the newcomers again. "Ra's... Talia... This is my wife Diana."

Talia's eyes widened. "Your... Vife?"

Bruce looked at her and nodded solemnly. Talia lowered her head. Ra's al Ghul looked at Bruce. "Well, well, Detective... You never fail to surprise. But... as I'm sure that you've deduced, I am here on business. As it happens I came to speak to you."

"Well... My car is right here." Bruce said, gesturing towards his limo. "We can talk on the way to your penthouse."

"I'm sorry, Detective, but Talia and I have just finished a long flight, and must take time to rest."

"Of course." Bruce reached out under the pretense of offering a handshake. When Ra's took his hand, Bruce pulled him close enough to hiss in his ear. _"Get in the damn limo. Now."_

Ra's al Ghul sighed, but obliged. He stepped into the limo, followed by Talia, Bruce, and Diana. Bruce sat directly across from Ra's, and crossed his arms. "Alright. Talk. What are you planning this time?"

Ra's looked out the window sadly for a moment before answering. "Rest assured that I am not to hear to do battle with you. I intend to make good on my promise. But... I need to enlist the help of your 'Justice League."

Bruce raised an eyebrow. "Why? What do you know?"

Ra's looked him straight in the eye. "I have walked this earth for nearly six centuries. In that time, I have gathered knowledge of secrets that are privy to only a very select few men. I have happened up the knowledge of a power that threatens all of humanity."

"But I thought that that was your plan all along?"

"True... But the cause of this power is rather... Detrimental to my own cause. Unfortunately, my knowledge of the situation is rather limited. All I can say is that the force that threatens us is not one of this Earth. Rather, one that predates it by many millenia. All that I can say for certain is that they have visited us before. You see, I'd hoped to come to you with more details, but you insisted on speaking now. I shall continue my research in Gotham City, but I cannot promise that it will yield any new information."

"It's just as well. I'll be leaving town shortly... But be warned. I'm keeping eye on you. Until I'm sure that I can trust you, that you'll be under close scrutiny."

"As you wish, Detective. But I must warn you. You would do well to prepare yourself."

Bruce nodded, and pressed the intercom button to signal Alfred. Ra's al Ghul gave Alfred the address of the penthouse that he would be staying in, and they arrived in minutes. Ra's al Ghul exited slowly, as signs of his age were beginning to show once again. Before leaving, Talia looked at Bruce sadly. She leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"Goodbye, my beloved." She said, and followed her father without another word. Once she was gone, Diana turned to Bruce with her arms crossed. "Alright, I'm listening.

Bruce sighed. "Like I said, it's a long story."

"Was she an old girlfriend?"

Bruce thought for a moment. "I can't say for sure. Every time it felt like we were going somewhere, one of us would end up leaving the other stranded in the desert... So I guess not."

"Hm. You weren't kidding when you said that your love life was complicated."

"It happens, I guess. But that's all in the past."

The limo pulled up in front of Wayne Manor, and Bruce and Diana stepped out. Once they reached the manor, the stood at the entrance for a moment. Bruce bent down to lift Diana, holding her below her shoulders and knees. She gasped in surprise. "What are you doing?" She asked.

"It's a bit of a tradition... I must have forgotten when we stopped by earlier." He said as he carried her over the threshold.

She roller her eyes a little. "You people have the strangest customs."

"Right." He put her down. "Now... Why don't you start packing? I have some business to attend to tonight."

She rolled her eyes again. "Can't let it go for one night, can you?"

"Not before leaving for several weeks at a time. It won't be long."

"Don't tell me that the Batman has to get time off?"

"I just want to make sure that everything is alright before we go."

"And what if it isn't alright? What will you do then?"

He realized that he'd backed himself into a corner. "We'll go. I promise. I just have to do my job. Don't worry."

"Alright... But don't get wrapped up in anything, okay?" Without waiting for a response, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him passionately. He returned her embrace; they stood there for several minutes, before Bruce left for the Batcave.

Author's note: Once again, a slow start. But enjoy it while it lasts, because once things get going, they're going to be going fast.

Now... I have a bit of an opportunity for anybody who'd like to get involved in the story. I'm floating around a couple ideas for the mysterious threat that Ra's al Ghul mentioned; if somebody would volunteer, then I would be able to send them some ideas, and maybe have a bit of help deciding. I'm worried that some of the ideas (one in particular) might be a bit too extreme, but I'd like a second opinion. So, for anybody who wants to help me write the story, then now's your chance. I'll try to keep the details that I give out to a minimum to avoid ruining the story for you.

I'm really not sure when I'll have the chance to post again. Ideally, I'll have another chapter up by tonight, but that could very easily not happen. In the case that it doesn't, it could be a while. Like I mentioned earlier, I'm working a lot now. So I'll try to keep posting, but my posts could become a bit more sparing.

Anyway... I'm not really satisfied with this chapter. I have the same issue with it that I do with the last chapter; the dialogue just doesn't seem to flow. Oh well, I'll keep working on it. Feedback would be appreciated.

On a side note... Including Ra's and Talia al Ghul made this chapter hell. Between their names and Talia's accent, half of this chapter triggered my spell-checker. Sunuvabitch.


	4. Back in Black, Maxwell's Silver Hammer

Author's note: Still waiting on any takers for the offer I made n the last chapter. I think I'll put that part of hold for a little while until I can figure out where I'm going with it. Again, some help from you would be greatly appreciated; I'd like to know what you guys want to read. So... I think that covers it. There's going to be some symbolism here, so try to research the references a bit and see if you can find it. Now... Let's get going!

Bruce slowly meandered down to the Batcave, for once hoping for an uneventful evening. He knew that it wouldn't happen. He had a feeling that things were going to go wrong. He had no reason to feel this way, but he always did whenever things started to go his way. He knew all too well that happiness was only temporary, and in his case it never stayed long. As a result, he approached any happy occurrence with apprehension.

He pulled his cowl out from it's display case and looked at it with dismay. He realized that his relationship with Diana was interfering with Batman's work. He'd gone from patrolling six nights a week to only three, and then two. And yet... He'd noticed very little change in the city. He wasn't quite sure how to feel about this; on one hand, it meant that he could afford to take a break every now and then, but on the other it meant that he wasn't making nearly as much of a difference as he'd hoped. He sighed and pulled the cowl over his face, hopping into the Batmobile. As he drove, he realized once again that he missed having Diana on his raids. As much as he worried about putting her in harms way, he'd grown somewhat accustomed to having her companionship; it was almost like having Dick or Jason or Barbara around again. He'd discovered over the years that company helped pass the long hours in the night. But he couldn't bring Diana out in her condition; the risks were unimaginable. So he was once again left alone with only his thoughts to keep him company.

He thought ahead about four or five months. It was hard to believe that he was going to be a father. On some level, he refused to believe it. He wasn't ready for that again; he felt like he'd failed Dick and Jason.. There was no way that he could handle raising a young, even more impressionable child. Especially not with his current lifestyle. It would be irresponsible to put his life on the line so much with so many people depending on him.

He snapped out of his reverie when he saw the Bat-signal against the black sky- he turned the car to follow it.

The signal was shining over a house on the outskirts of Gotham City, in a small suburban neighborhood. He left the Batmobile a safe distance away, and began to investigate the neighborhood by jumping from rooftop to rooftop. He quickly found the house that was surrounded by police tape, with officers mulling around the lawn. He focused on a man standing in the center of the lawn; Police Commissioner Gordon. He pulled a batarang from his belt, throwing it to the ground at Gordon's feet.

Gordon bent over to pick up the strange object; when he realized what it was, he quickly signaled for the other officers to leave the scene. After a moment of grumbling, they slowly filed away. Once they were all gone, Batman jumped down from the rooftop to face Gordon.

Gordon watched him for a moment before speaking. "You didn't answer the signal last night. It's not like you to miss it. I was a bit worried."

"I was busy."

Gordon chuckled a little. "Was it your new lady-friend?"

Batman remained silent.

"Say... Where is she anyway? It's been a while since I've seen her."

"She's fine. You called for a reason? Or do you just want to gossip?"

Gordon sighed. "Fine, I was hoping that I wouldn't have to be the one to tell you this... But the Joker's out again."

Batman felt his heart sink. He knew it was only a matter of time, but he'd hoped that he'd be able to avoid another inevitable clash with his rival for at least another few months.

"How did he escape?"

Gordon reached into his pocket. "We're not really sure. We now that he had help. The security cameras in his cell caught this." He pulled out a grainy black and white picture of a man with an elongated head, hovering over the ocean.

Gordon continued. "He matches descriptions of 'the Green Goblin;' a mass murderer that hit New York pretty hard last year; but the problem is that the murderer in question disappeared without a trace last year after a showdown with one of you superhero-types. Guy calling himself Spiderman. But nobody's seen a trace of the Goblin since then. So it's possible that it's some kind of an impostor. We're still working out the details."

Batman took another hard look at the pictures. "Why doesn't the League know about this? I thought that they had security at Arkham."

"They did. They were there a couple minutes after the Joker got away. I talked to Superman personally. I got the impression that he wasn't planning on telling you, so I decided to take matters into my own hands. I know that the Joker caused a lot of trouble for you and your girlfriend, but I think that you can handle it."

Batman remained silent for a moment before answering. "Thanks." He looked around. "But why here?"

"I was getting to that. I think that it might be best if you just took a look inside. But brace yourself... It's pretty bad."

Batman cautiously approached the house, and entered the door. Despite being calloused from years of fighting crime, the sight sickened him.

A mangled body was lying on the floor; it appeared to be female, although it was hard to tell at this point. Her head was completely smashed; blood completely surrounded the body. The walls had been splashed with blood as well. In places, it appeared that the blood had been used to draw crude pictures. On wall, the words '_BANG BANG'_ were scribbled in crimson; another read _'CLANG CLANG.'_ Directly next to the body was a large silver mallet.

Batman turned to face the Commissioner, who was standing directly behind him. "What happened here?"

"A mess, and that's about all I can tell you. I was hoping that you'd be able to help. It wasn't easy to ID the body, but we managed. Her name was Joan Roberts... Just graduated from college, had a brilliant mind from what the neighbors said... Her husband came home and found her like this. Poor guy. He isn't saying much. I don't think he knows anything more than we do. So... Any ideas?"

Batman looked around, putting things together. "It's a reference to an old song... The chorus goes _'Bang, Bang, Maxwell's silver hammer came down upon her head/ Clang Clang Maxwell's Silver Hammer made sure she was dead._' Whoever did it even got the name."

"I remember that one... Way back in the day... So you think that we should be looking for a Maxwell?" Gordon asked, confused.

"No. I think that it's more likely that somebody was trying to recreate the story told by the song. Some sick clown thinks he's funn-"

Batman stopped. "This has the Joker's name written all over it. He's leading us on."

"You think so?"

Batman nodded, and Gordon accepted his reasoning, pulling out his police radio. "I need every available officer here. Get me forensics and SWAT now." He turned to face Batman. "You'd better..." He began, before realizing that he was already gone. "Get out of here... Geez..."

Author's Note: Now we're getting somewhere. But this plot is much bigger as indicated by the last chapter. But I still need somebody to help me figure out what the hell that plot is.

Thanks to lsjgf (Creative name, by the way): Don't get me wrong, I really do love writing accents; a little bit of dialect really helps add to the story in my opinion. It's not that the accent bothers me (I really love Talia's accent, it's just that it throws my spell check out of wack. Unfortunately, I don't see either Ra's or Talia playing a huge part of the story at this point, but that could change pretty easily depending on what direction I decide to go with the plot. I'm not quite flying blind like I was in the last story, but I have a few different story arcs that I'm considering. And I'm going to have to disagree with you about the Joker; personally, I think that he has incredible potential as a villain, just because he stands to gain nothing from his plans (depending on the interpretation, of course). While Ra's has a goal, the Joker will just do whatever he wants to. Basically, the Joker can't be defeated simply by stopping his plans. I see him as a perfect balance between madness and insanity. I think that the Batman animated series really portrayed him as just another bumbling oaf, and I didn't really like the character. Whereas in the Dark Knight (I know, I rave about it), he's the perfect balance between madness and rationality; his view of the world is horribly twisted, but he can still calculate Batman's every move. Basically, he makes a great dramatic foil for Batman. But that's just my opinion.

So... I'm not sure when I'll be able to update. If I can get it done before work, then great, but I don't see that happening. I'm working until closing tomorrow, and I can't really stay up too late because I'm closing AGAIN on Friday. And I'm pretty much working all day Saturday and Sunday. I'll post as soon as possible though, so keep checking in. I've been trying to compensate with some longer chapters, although they do seem to come pretty naturally. I think that having a fresh plot to work with helps.


	5. You See me Crying

Bruce was troubled as he made his way back to the Batcave. If he was right, and the Joker was up to his old tricks, then both he and Diana wereboth in grave danger. He reached to his ear, activating his Justice League communicator and placing a call to the Watchtower.

"H-hello?" Answered the Flash, yawning?"

"Get me Superman?"

"Huh?"

"Get me Superman. Now."

"Right... I'm just a bit hungover... Oops, sorry Bats. I don't think he's here right now... Probably at home sleeping."

"Patch me through to him."

"You know that it's about three in the morning in Metropolis, right?"

"I don't care."

"Whatever you say..."

Batman heard a ringing through his earpiece. It rang for a good thirty seconds before anyone answered.

"Hello, this is Clark Kent speaking..." Superman's voice was raspy.

"We need to talk."

"Bruce? What's the big idea? It's three thirty in the morning!"

"The Joker's escaped. Why didn't you tell me."

Clark stayed silent for a moment before responding. "How did you find out?"

"It doesn't matter. Answer the question."

"I'm sorry, Bruce. I didn't want to ruin our wedding day. I know that you would have wanted to know, but sometimes what you want isn't always what's best for you. Or for Diana."

"I need to know what I'm up against."

"No, Bruce. You aren't up against anything right now. You're going to go on your honeymoon, and enjoy it. If anything, do it for Diana. Let the rest of the League handle the Joker. Now I've gotta go before Lois wakes up- Aw, Dammit. I've gotta go now." Batman heard shouting in the background before the line went dead.

"I hate it when he's right..." Batman muttered to himself. He hated to admit it, but Superman had a point. And as much as he wanted to be personally involved in recapturing the Joker, canceling the honeymoon would do little more than worry Diana. He decided that, until he could actually gather enough information to take action, he would keep his head down. He sighed. _'You're going soft...'_ He muttered to himself.

Once home, he snuck upstairs as quietly as possible. Once he reached the master bedroom, he was shocked to find that Diana was still awake and waiting for him on the bed. The moment he entered the room, she realized that something was amiss.

"Bruce... What's wrong?" She yawned.

"Nothing. Why aren't you asleep?"

"Why do you think? I was waiting for you... And you can't fool me, Bruce. I know when something's not right. You can tell me."

"I said it's nothing."

"And I know you're lying."

"Go to sleep. We have a long trip tomorrow."

"There'll be plenty of time to sleep on the plane. Just tell me."

"Nothing's wrong."

Diana frowned at him. "You have to be the most stubborn man on planet. Alright... You win the battle... But not the war." She forcefully pulled him down onto the bed and kissed him.

Author's Note: Yeah, it's short. Yeah it's uneventful. But it is the third chapter in less than twenty four hours. I figured that this would be the best stopping point that I would get for a while, and I might as well post _something._ So here it is. I'm thinking that I'm going to introduce a new character into the next chapter... Anybody care to guess who? I'll give you a hint... And that hint is that I've already given you a hint. Too cryptic? Right... That hint was midway through connections, and that's all I'm saying for now.

Thanks to Onlynameleft for all the very generous reviews; You're too kind. Although that wasn't quite the angle that I was playing at... Although I'm sure that my idea is just as cliched. Oh well. You win some, and you lose some. I'll admit that I was kind of toying with that idea, but I scrapped it because it seems like JLU kind of already covered that with the whole 'ancient Thanagarians thing.' Not to say that what I'm working with now isn't a complete ripoff. But you'll all just have to wait, and I'll do my best to make it worthwhile. The only thing that I can guarantee right now is that the story will _**NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES CONTAIN REFERENCE TO NEW GODS/APOKOLIPS.**_ The main reason for this is that both of these places involve Granny Goodness. She scares me, and I don't like her. I will _**NOT**_ write about her. Not to mention that all of the stories involving those places confuse the hell out of me. So... No New Gods/Apokilips/Fourth World. As they say where I come from; Get that shit outta hea. There are a lot of chemicals in the water where I come from

And by the way... I'm pretty sure that DC did mess around with a storyline that involved Thomas Wayne being alive (and a villain, because the whole point of the series is to make Batman's life a living hell). But I'm not sure how it turned out. I think that it might have ended up being an impostor or something like that... Or it could have been one of their alternate universe things that they do just to mess with my head. But I'm sure there was something to that. Well shit. Now the Author's note is longer than the chapter. I'm not sure how soon I'll be able to get the next chapter up; it's shaping up to be a long one. Fortunately, after the 50,000+ words that I've come up with in the last month, my writing speed has really gone up, and is still increasing. So be ready for another update. I'm determined to get another chapter up at some point tomorrow.


	6. If I Die Tomorrow

Author's Note: Hmm... I'm not sure sure where I'm going here... So this could get interesting. We'll see how it turns out... Your guess is as good as mine.

Onlynameleft: While I do like to have reviews to keep the story on track, I've decided to go with the 'No news is good news' POV (No reviews means no criticism, so I must be perfect... Right?). And it gives me a bit more room to personally address those who do respond, which I really enjoy. I'd hate to end up being the faceless 'wizard of oz' type authors. So as long as people are reading, I'm content. And it's not the Riddler, I'm going to keep him dead... At least for now. He could be pretty tough to bring back because I kind of had him destroyed. I mean really destroyed. Skeleton destroyed. But I can't make any promises yet.

As promised, Bruce and Diana slept for most of the plane ride. Bruce hadn't told Diana where they were going, insisting that it be kept a surprise. When Bruce's private jet landed, she was indeed surprised to find herself in Paris again. She turned to Bruce and hugged him in delight.

"You remembered!"

He smiled. "Yes... Let's just hope this trip ends better than last time..."

"Agreed." Diana remembered all too well that her last visit to the City of Light had ended with her being captured and placed in a Kaznian Prison.

Bruce had rented a small oceanside cottage off the coast of France. While it was a good distance away from Paris, the scene was very intimate and isolated. As soon as the limo was parked, Bruce got out to help Alfred with the bags. Diana stared in awe at the building. It was beautiful in every sense of the word. Honestly, Bruce's sensitivity still surprised her sometimes. Somehow, he managed to switch seamlessly between an apparently insane, violent and remarkably intimidating detective vigilante to a kind and caring businessman. She realized this was what she respected most about him. On one hand, he was a warrior who would do anything for what he believed in, but he somehow still managed to remain his kindness and humanity. She noticed that the more time she spent with him, the more she saw the two personalities reflected in each other.

She stepped inside the cottage and looked around. It was a bit small, but it could easily accommodate the two of them. She figured that the small setting would actually be nice. Bruce was usually surrounded by paparazzi; it would be nice to have him alone for once.

While Diana mused, Bruce began to unpack his bags in the bedroom. Before he could finish, he heard a voice over his comm link.

"Batman. Are you there?" Batman recognized the voice as that of J'onn J'onnz, the Martian Manhunter.

"I'm here."

"You're communicaor indicates that you have arrived in France."

"Just barely."

"Good... I hate to have to ask this of you... But there seems to e some sort of situation in France."

"What is it?"

"We aren't sure. We can't reach Paris. Our teleporter signals are being jammed. Superman can be there in an hour, but other than that everybody is too far away. I need you to find out what's going on and try to diffuse the situation."

"Roger that."

"Be careful. We're receiving reports of powerful tremors."

"Right."

Batman cut the connection. "ALFRED?"

"No need to shout, sir." Alfred said, appearing in the door.

"I'll be needing the glider, Alfred."

"Can't stay still at all, can we, Sir?" Said Alfred, watching Bruce open a trunk containing his Batman costume.

"I don't have a choice."

By the time Batman had finished suiting up, Alfred had returned with a large trunk. He opened it, revealing what appeared to be a large set of batwings, complete with a gas-powered jet that would allow him to fly for a short distance. He lifted the device, and did up the straps, securing it to his back.

"Tell Diana that I'm sorry to leave like this, but I have to go. I'll be back soon."

"I don't think that that will be necessary, Sir."

Bruce turned to see Diana standing in the doorway, looking at him expressionlessly. Slowly, she stepped out of the way of the doorframe, allowing him to pass. As he walked past her, she reached out to stop him.

"Come back safely."

He nodded, and continued on his way. Diana watched as he disappeared into the hallway, and reappeared on the lawn in front of the cottage. She wanted to follow him, but knew she couldn't. She argued with herself over the pros and cons of going into battle. She remembered her armor that she'd secretly packed in her suitcase, but looked down at her now slightly bulging midsection and realized that it would never fit. She still had her bracelets, lasso, and her natural Amazonian strength... But her lack of flight and her reduced strength would be a huge disadvantage; not to mention that she was pregnant and it had been several months since she last fought. She hated to sit by and do nothing, but she had learned from Bruce that an important part of being a warrior was strategy. She sighed to herself and turned to Alfred.

"When he gets back, I'm going to kill him for this..." She said, looking out the window to see Bruce take a running start, launching himself into the night sky.

Bruce flew over the French country side; his glider was considerably faster than the limo, and he managed to make it back to Paris in less than half an hour. The sight that awaited him was a very strange one. From a distance, he could see a large cloud of dust rising, accompanied by the sound of screaming. Batman pulled off the glider, and left it safely on a far away rooftop. He traversed the rest of the way by using his grapple gun to swing from building to building.

He was shocked by the sight that met him when he reached the center of the commotion; it appeared that some powerful creature was lifting abandoned cars and throwing them at buildings. It seems that all of the civilians had managed to flee to safety, but at the rate it was going, the beast would level the city in no time. Upon getting closer, Batman could see that the creature appeared to be reptilian, although it was capable of standing on two legs. It was about ten feet tall, and had glowing yellow eyes. It had two huge curled horns on it's head, which ended in a long pointed snout. As Batman stepped closer, the creature appeared to sense him, and put down the car it was about to throw. It looked at him, and began to hiss wildly.

The creature suddenly went silent, and began to stare skywards. Batman followed it's gaze, and saw four bright white lights standing out against the night sky. He saw flashes of red and gold as the moonlight glinted off of the rapidly incoming object. Batman groaned.

_'Why can't I ever catch a breaK?'_

Author's Note: So I didn't really introduce him like I'd planned to... But I'm sure that most of you have a good idea of who this newcomer is. If not, never fear; I'll be getting right to work on the next chapter, and I hope to have it up later tonight. If not, I'll get it done early tomorrow. So stay tuned. By the way... I _really_ need somebody to bounce some ideas off of. I have way to many different ways that I could branch out the story here, and I'd appreciate anybody helping me to focus my ideas. It would help move the story along too- stories tend to go more smoothly when you know what you're doing. Until then, plot be damned.


	7. I am Iron Man

Author's Note: I NEED HELP HERE! Like I've said in the past few chapters, I have way too many ideas to decide between right now, and I'd like some help with narrowing them down. Please? Any volunteers? I'm pretty sure that I can manage to fill you in on them without giving away too much of the story. Keep in mind that this is a very ambitious project; ideally, this story will have between fifty and sixty chapters. Yikes. I'd probably give you a paragraph at most on each possible scenario, so there will still be some surprises. What I really need help with right now is choosing a primary enemy. I've already got a vague idea, which I've hinted at already, but nothing is really set in stone yet. And about the new guy... One last hint; it's Ironman. Yeah.

Ironman crashed down to Earth, landing on one knee with a loud metallic thud, leaving a huge crater in his wake. He stared at the monster for a minute before turning to Batman.

"What the hell is that thing?" He asked in a deep, robotic voice.

"I have no idea. Stay on guard."

"Right."

Ironman proceeded to activate his jets, and launch himself at the beast, fists extended. The monster grabbed him by his head and threw him aside effortlessly. It turned it's attention to Batman. He readied himself for battle, and not a second to soon; the monster leapt at him, claws ready to slice at him. Batman expertly launched himself into a combat roll, just barely dodging the attack. The beast roared, and pulled it's claws out of the pavement.

Ironman shook his head, and set his sights on the monster again. He raised his hand so his palm faced the beast, and fired an energy blast. However, the monster was prepared; it raised a hand, and caught the blast in it's palm, using it's iron-hard scales to deflect it to the ground.

Ironman flew over to Batman, and helped him to his feet.

"You're the brilliant detective... Got any brilliant ideas?" The sarcasm sounded strange when mixed with the robotic voice.

Batman carefully assessed the situation. He now knew that the strange monster was invulnerable due to it's scaly armored plating, and that it was very good at guarding it's weak points.

"Just one. Think fast. " Without further warning, Batman leapt directly onto the creature's face, wrapping his knees around it's snout, and using his arms to secure his hold on the monster's head. It raised it's arms to try to pull him off, but he held tenaciously. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WAITING FOR?" He shouted at Ironman, who was staring in awed disbelief. Ironman snapped back to reality, raising his arm to fire again. He unleashed some of the wide array of missiles hidden in his suit.

The monster was unable to see the blows coming, and took most of them directly in the chest and stomach area, where it lacked protection. It roared in pain as it fell backwards. Batman jumped off it's face, and Ironman took the opportunity to leap onto the beast, driving a fist directly through its stomach, killing it instantly.

Ironman opened his mask to reveal his true face, that of Tony Stark, billionare playboy and ex-weapons manufacturer. He pulled his arm out of the monster's stomach with a nauseating squelching noise. "Gross..." He whined, before turning back to batman, still shaking monster guts off of his hand. "That was some plan."

"It worked."

Tony's eyes narrowed. "There's something familiar about you... Say something."

Batman remained silent.

"I know you..." His eyes widened for a moment. "_BRUCE?"_

Batman couldn't hide his look of shock. _'It is really not my day...'_ He thought.

Tony laughed triumphantly. "It _is _you. I can't fucking believe this..." He doubled over. "Of all people... You! Oh my god..." He finally managed to get his laughter under control. "So... Yeah. That's a bit of a shock."

"How did you know."

"How could you forget? You put a business deal with me on hold, saying you were planning to go to Paris. Sounded like fun, so I decided to make a trip myself. Glad that I did too... Bruce Wayne... Who would've thought."

Batman berated himself for being so careless.

Tony continued. "Hey, what's the big deal? You could have just told me. Might've made things a bit easier."

"Forgive me if I didn't want my most important secret in the hands of the man who couldn't even keep his own identity a secret for ten minutes."

Tony shrugged as much as his Ironman suit allowed him. "It didn't seem necessary."

"Of course. You always have to be a spectacle, don't you, Tony?"

"You know... We're two of the only superheroes in the world without any superpowers."

"What's your point?"

"I think that it'd be a terrible shame to let this opportunity go to waste."

"You're kidding right? We can't fight here. There's no point."

"Fine. You're a chicken. That's cool."

"Shut up, Tony."

"BGAWK! BGAWK!"

Batman shook his head, refusing to get sucked into Tony's games.

"Come on, nobody's around. It'll be fun."

Batman realized that Tony wouldn't let him leave without a fight. He sighed and lowered himself into a fighting stance, realizing that he would have no choice but to put his business partner in his place.

"Now that's more like it." Tony closed his mask, and jumped towards Batman, who quickly ducked backwards. As Ironman passed over him, he took the chance to get a closer look at the armor. From the looks of it, it would be incredibly difficult to pierce, removing any possibility of hand-to-hand combat. Batman realized that he would have to depend on his arsenal of long-range weaponry. Bruce saw the suits major weakness, and smiled to himself.

As soon as Ironman had hurtled over him, Batman jumped to his feet again. Ironman came to a sliding halt, using both feet and one head to slow himself. He used his free hand to launch a weak energy blast at Batman. The Dark Knight easily sidestepped the blast, and pulled out his grapple gun. He aimed directly at Ironman, and fired. He knew that he didn't have enough weight to pull Ironman to him, so he'd have to settle for the alternative. He activated it, causing himself to fly towards Ironman.

In mid flight, he pulled his taser from his belt. As soon as he came in range, he drove the taser into the center of Ironman's chest, causing a small short in the arc reactor that powered the suit.

Ironman twitched for a moment, before falling backwards to the ground. The mask opened once again. Tony sputtered a little bit. "Okay, not bad..." He wheezed. "I'm gonna rest for a minute..." He promptly passed out.

Bruce sighed. "Some people never change..." He went to retrieve his glider. He decided Stark would be fine on his own for a while, but he wanted a closer look at the strange beast that had nearly destroyed Paris. He dropped a tow cable, which latched around the monster. The glider seemed to groan as he lifted it; it hadn't been designed to carry so much weight, but he calculated that he would be able to carry it for a short distance. He checked the time briefly. Superman was scheduled to arrive in half an hour. Batman realized that he'd made great time, and took off.

Once he'd exited the area of the communications jam, he placed a call to the Watchtower. J'onn responded.

"I'm glad to hear that you are well."

"Tell Superman to follow my coordinates. I need to talk to him about this."

"I shall contact him immediately."

Diana waited outside the cottage. She knew that Bruce probably shouldn't be back for a while, but she was still a bit worried. Her concerns were relieved when she saw a small speck on the horizon. Batman landed several yards in front of her. She took a glance at the payload he was carrying, and placed her head in her hands, rubbing her temples.

"Oh, Bruce..."

Author's note: I hope that will tide over you action lovers for a while. Things were getting sappy, and while sap has it's place, it should never dominate a story about superheroes. So... I decided that a two for the price of one fight scene was in order. I guess that there really wasn't much reason for the showdown between Batman and Ironman, but it made for an interesting fight, and it gave me the chance to write a bit more dialogue for Tony Stark. Which reminds me; as far as Ironman is concerned, I'm going to have to these events somewhere between the first Ironman movie and the second because... I didn't see Ironman 2 (:O). I really meant to, but I forgot. So I'm waiting for the DVD release. Yes, I'm appropriately ashamed of myself as a superhero movie fanatic. But I thought that Batman an Ironman would be an interesting showdown; they're both in very similar circumstance, but have radically different personalities. Just some food for thought... Yeah... I think that's about it. Yeah... I'll update as soon as possible. Or not. I'll try to motivate myself (I think that I've been doing a decent job with that so far). So we'll see what the future has in store.


	8. No Leaf Clover

Diana stared in awe at the bloody mess that Bruce had dropped on the lawn in front of her. "Bruce... What the hell _is_ that thing?"

"Erm... Look, Diana, I can explain-"

"Oh, you'd better be able to explain this. I'm listening."

"This thing wiped out an entire city block in minutes- for no reason at all."

Diana rolled her eyes. "Bruce... It's a giant monster. It's what they do. Haven't you ever seen a monster movie?"

"Fine. But where did it come from? This whole situation smells."

"Tell me about it." She said, wrinkling her nose. "Did you really have to bring it _here?"_

"I need to get a closer look at it's physiology. I had to get it away from the scene before the authorities came and seized the corpse. Clark will be coming by to pick it up soon. I'm sorry, there was no-

"Don't be sorry, Bruce. I understand. I'm not expecting you to change. I should have known that this wouldn't be a peaceful honeymoon. But it's okay. I would have done the same thing if I were in your shoes. Let's just try to put this behind us."

"Agreed." Bruce said, thinking about everything that had gone wrong in the last few hours. Between gruesome murder scenes, giant monsters, and Tony Stark, he was more than ready to take a little downtime.

They waited about half an hour until Superman arrived. He touched down lightly in front of them. He gave a disgusted look at the mangled body.

"Geez, Bruce. What have you been up to?"

"Doing _your_ job."

"Point taken."

"I need you get this back to the Watchtower. Keep it frozen. I want it to be fresh when I can get around to doing a dissection."

Superman gave him a strange look. "Only you, Bruce. Fine." He called the Watchtower, and requested that the Justice League send a Javelin to his location. He looked back at Bruce and Diana awkwardly.

"So... Hows the honeymoon going?"

"Excellent, as I'm sure you can see." Diana said sarcastically, lightly tapping the monster's corpse with her foot.

Bruce chipped in; "Ignore her Clark. She's a bit upset that she couldn't go fight too."

Superman glanced between the two of them. "I'm glad to hear that it's going well..."

Bruce turned to face him again. "Did you ever figure out what was jamming the teleporter and communication signals?"

"Not really. I kind of just started to clear up when you beat... That thing. We now have full communications, but J'onn is uneasy about using the teleporters right now. Not that I blame him at all. Not a lot of room for error there."

Bruce looked at the monster corpse. He definitely needed a closer look.

Diana and Superman made conversation while they waited for the Javelin to arrive; Bruce elected to avoid pleasantries under the guise of taking a closer look at the beast. All that he could gather from an initial look without any equipment was that it would be a difficult autopsy, thanks to the giant hole that Ironman had left. The organs were left mangled by the impact.

When Superman's jet arrived, he bade Bruce and Diana goodbye, wishing them the best of luck. He picked up the body with one hand, and used the other to give them a friendly wave before loading the corpse and departing.

Diana turned to Bruce. "So... Where were we?"

"Unpacking."

"Really? That's all? Well... I guess we'll have to wait until tomorrow to finish that... I'm exhausted."

"_You're_ exhausted?"

"Oh, shut up!" She said, shoving him playfully.

Bruce was troubled as he got into bed. He couldn't help but feel that that monster had had him in it's sights. This was troubling; if he was right, it meant that whoever had sent the monster was tracking him- not Batman, but Bruce Wayne. Even more troubling was the fact that this meant that Diana was in danger; if somebody knew that he was Batman, than that would mean that they could target Diana, who was particularly vulnerable in her current state. He began to wonder if he was getting sloppy. Tony Stark had figured out his secret identity... But, as immature as Stark was, he was still a genius, and a longtime associate of Bruce Wayne. It was bad enough that he'd been discovered by Catwoman... But Stark was a completely different matter. Bruce knew that Selina could keep a secret, whereas Tony had announced his secret identity during an interview that was being broadcast on several news stations, despite having a government-backed alibi. Clearly this was an issue.

Diana saw the troubled look on his face the way that only she could. She reached over and rubbed his chest.

"What's wrong?"

Bruce didn't want to worry her, but if they were in danger, it would be important for her to know.

"I think that thing was after me."

"And why would you think that?"

"It showed up at the same time we did. And about the same time, too."

"It's probably just a coincidence. But that's right... The Batman doesn't believe in coincidences."

"There's no way that it's a coincidence. The monster shows up the same day that we do, at the same time. Meanwhile, the area completely loses it's communications so the League can't send anybody else in. Not to mention the warning from Ra's al Ghul."

"So you're saying that you think our honeymoon is being sabotaged by aliens? Get some sleep, Bruce. We can worry about it later." She kissed him on the cheek, and his worries almost vanished. She was probably right. He just was jumping to conclusions. But there was still that voice in the back of his head that was always nagging at him, telling him not to settle in, because things were about to go horribly wrong.

Diana saw that he was still worried, and tried to take his mind off his worries. "I think that we should take tomorrow to settle in. Get to know the place. There'll be plenty of time to tour later. Does that sound alright?"

He nodded absentmindedly.

"Bruce, listen to me. You have to let this go. Worrying won't do you any good. Just let it go for a little while. I'm sure that you'll find your answers eventually."

Bruce knew that she was right. He didn't have enough information to crack the riddle, so he would just have to wait for more, and hope that he was wrong in the meantime. He realized that he had no idea how he'd lived for so long without her. Or anybody for that matter. For many years, he'd had nobody to confide in except for Alfred. But things had changed, and that worried him. He realized that he would never be able to go back to the darkness that he'd come from. He was terrified of losing her; the thought of being pushed back into the darkness was enough to make his blood run cold. He reached out and pulled her close to him, and held her tightly. She smiled, and wrapped and arm around his chest, and began to soothingly stroke his back as they fell asleep.

Author's Note: I think that I'm finally getting into the right frame of mind to write this story; by which I mean that it's beginning to pervade my dreams. With a story like my last one, I'd probably say that was a bad thing, but with a huge story like this one, I want to put as much thought in as possible. I'm still looking for somebody to discuss ideas with, but I'm beginning to get the feeling that that might not happen, so I've got a new plan. For now, I'm just going to write out the strangest, and most unpredictable (despite being completely cliched) ideas. However, I may end up reposting the story and taking it in a different direction at a later date. But I'll just focus on the first idea that I came up with for now.

I'm not sure when the next update will be. I really had to bust my ass to get this one up tonight, and I can't say when the next one will be up. I'm going to say that I'll definitely be able to post again on Monday for now, although that could easily change. Hopefully I won't be too tired to write after work tomorrow and Sunday, but we'll see. My schedule for next week might be a problem too, but I hope that that won't prevent me from updating Monday. And after next week... School starts. But that means that I won't have to work on weekdays, and I have a light course load this semester. I mean really light. It's looking like intro to guitar might be the toughest, and I've been playing guitar for a year already. So expect some pretty frequent updates. Damn. This note was supposed to be short. Damn my writer's spirit.


	9. Sweet Child o' Mine

Author's Note: Strap yourself in for another slow chapter. I'm easing into the action slowly. Just for the record... Are you guys enjoying these sappy chapters? I can crank 'em out in almost no time, but I'd just skip them overall if you guys weren't enjoying them. Just give me a shout out somehow if you are, so I'll know to include a few more in the future. I don't mind writing them if you don't mind reading them.

lsjgf: Thanks for the offer, and that's not an issue in the least. The issue I'm having is deciding on a main plot line. To be honest, I'm trying to avoid using comic continuities, because, in all honesty, they make no sense to me. But like I said, I don't think that the universes/continuities will really even be a factor. The only thing is that I need a way to contact you; if you had ann account on this site, it would be perfect, but a fake email address that you wouldn't mind posting online could work too. Please get back to me on that; I'd really appreciate it.

Now... For the chapter. I have no idea where I'm going to go from here, but I'm sure that I can come up with something. Cross your fingers.

When Bruce woke up, his arms were still wrapped around Diana. She was still sleeping, so he attempted to remain still to avoid waking her. He'd never imagined himself in this situation before; the Batman had dominated his life in one form or another since he'd been about eight years old. It had started slowly; after the loss of his parents, he'd spiraled into a long, dark depression that had consumed him for years. It hadn't lifted until years later, when he'd realized that he had to take matters into his own hands. By the time he'd become an adult, he knew what needed to be done. The criminal underworld had become to powerful to be challenged by a man... So he spent years traveling the world to learn everything that he could to learn everything that he could about the criminals. The one thing that he learned was that criminals were simple people. Most were simply greedy men who were willing to take what they wanted. Despite using the fear of others, they were easily scared themselves; it seemed that the only way to turn a man away from crime was to make him too scared to return to it. Bruce had decided that the best form that he could take to turn a criminals own tool against him was one of his own irrational fears: Bats.

Bruce began his crusade with noble intentions. He enjoyed great success in the beginning; he hit a nerve with his startling antics. But as he went on, he began to become lost; his hand in the creation of new criminals like the Joker and Two-Face (who had been one of his best friends) made him question himself. As he continued, the battle against crime slowly took over his entire life. He became more reckless, bordering on suicidal at some points. He remembered the time that he'd almost killed himself crashing the Watchtower into Earth to end the Thanagarian invasion. He shuddered at the memory. He was lucky to be alive; he'd planned on dying, and he would have if it hadn't been for Superman. Bruce realized that at that moment, he'd stopped being Bruce Wayne, and become Batman completely. He'd lost his inhibitions, and become willing to lay anything and everything on the line for his cause.

As he looked at Diana, he realized she'd changed everything. He bent his head down to bury his face in her hair; she shifted slightly, but remained asleep. He realized how lucky he was that she'd pursued him; who knew what kind of state of mind he'd be in right now if not for her. But on thought still haunted him...

_ He was starting a family._ The thought sent shivers down his spine. He still couldn't believe it. Everything had happened so suddenly... He thought about his future for a moment; there was no way that he could raise a kid. The only basis he had for what a normal childhood should be like was the foggy memory of his parents, and the rest of his own shattered and fragmented childhood. Somehow, he imagined that Diana would have similar problems. Having been sculpted from clay and raised on an island inhabited exclusively by female warriors, he strongly doubted that she'd had a much more conventional upbringing than he had.

His musings were interrupted when he felt Diana begin to stir. She looked up at him and yawned sleepily. "Morning."

"Good morning." Bruce was glad that she was awake; her eyes were his favorite part of her. They were so big and blue... They clearly reflected her innocence and naivety that had come from growing up completely free of the influence of man's deception. When he looked into her eyes, it was like he could share some small piece of her innocence, and pretend that he had had a happy childhood. It was nice to be able to let his guard down for a change.

Looking into her eyes brought out strange things in him; all of the powerful emotions that he'd forced to the back of his mind for years suddenly hit him at full force. He'd subdued his feelings for years without realizing it, and become something entirely new; something that scared even himself. As he thought about it, the facade that he'd carefully built up over the course of years began to crumble, and a lone tear ran down his cheek.

Diana looked surprised for a moment, but reached up to wipe it away. "Is something wrong Bruce? Are you okay?"

"I've never been better."

Author's Note: Awww. So... As I'm sure you can tell, I wasn't feeling terribly inspired here. Hell, I didn't even have the characters get out of bed. So... I decided to, as usual, pull influence from a song. The references are much less subtle than usual, but I'm really going for an homage here, so that's the point. Kind of. But I think I might have actually made a bit of progress here. Only time will tell.

Those of you who were with me from the very beginning of Connections may remember a bit of an issue with chapters 16 and 17... Well, it's been brought to my attention that it's happening again. The chapters seem to be fading in and out of existence. I'm doing everything that I can to fix it, which, at the moment happens to be nothing. Last time the problem sorted itself out, so I guess I'll give it another day before I send for help from . Not sure why I'm writing about it here... If the problem persists, then you won't be able to read this either, and if it goes away, then there's no reason to be concerned, so... Fuck.

Now... About my updating schedule for next week. I have _one more day_ of work tomorrow; unfortunately, it's another seven hour block, right in the middle of the day. That's killer, when you consider that my job mainly consists of bagging groceries and walking around a parking lot hunting down shopping carts with a fake smile on my face. Does bad things to the mind. So there may or may not be a new chapter up tomorrow. There should be; I can stay up late to write if need be, so no worries there. But... I got some new toys this week. The most important of them are a Zildjian China Boy High, and a piece of shit bass. The china won't take up too much of my spare time; I'll probably just throw that on the kit and mess around with it for an hour or two. The bass on the other hand... Let's just say that I love the sound of bass. I could play for hours on end. But... The thing is in pretty rough shape, and I'm planning to start repairs tomorrow. I'm going to have to get new strings (it only has two at the moment), and gut it to fix some faulty wiring, and tighten up some knobs. All things, considered, it plays pretty well. Except for the fact that I have to tune down to about C flat to keep the action under control. The point is, it could eat up some time, but don't you dare think that I've forgotten about you guys.

Yeah... That was supposed to be short. I kind of feel like I should add to the chapter... I have to get these notes under control. Yikes. I'm just going to post the damn thing before I write any more.


	10. Broken, Beat, and Scarred

Author's Note: I'm just going to come out and say it; I have nothing to say in this chapter. I'm not sure where the story is going at the moment, but I want to post something. I'm thinking that I might just skip the rest of the honeymoon, just because I don't know how to fill the rest of it. I kind of just threw it in as an afterthought (alright... They're married... Now what?). It ended up yielding a plot device. Go figure. I still haven't decided what that thing that attacked Batman is going to end up being, and it's not too late to offer input!

Anyway... Not much to say here. I'm a bit tired, and not terribly motivated, so I'll just take the easy way out and write another chapter of fluffy mush. Sounds kind of gross when you put it that way. But then again... It is kind of gross (EWWW! COOTIES!) And you may notice how slowly the story is moving; so far, the entire plot has taken place in about _three days._ Just putting that in perspective. So... In the minute that it took to write this note, I've developed an idea. I think that I'll mirror the last chapter to give a bit more insight into the minds of the characters, seeing as the "more fluff" poll ended with a mind boggling tally of one for, none against. Come on guys... You can do better than that.

Bruce and Diana spent the rest of the day unpacking their things and relaxing. As they cuddled to watch a movie, Diana noticed some of the scratches and bruises that covered his arms.

"Bruce... What happened to you?"

"Monsters and robot suits. You know how it goes."

"No... Because I generally avoid being hit."

Bruce decided not to admit that most of the bruises were the self-inflicted results of combat rolls on chipped and uneven asphalt ground.

"Sometimes you just have to take a hit."

She stood up. "Take off the shirt."

"It's nothing. Don't worry. I feel fine."

"Then do it."

Bruce reluctantly pulled of his shirt. The sight amazed Diana. While his chest was relatively unharmed, his sides, back, and arms were covered in fresh scratches and bruises, adding to his already impressive collection of scars. But as horrifying and gruesome as the sight was, she had to admit that it was a bit of a turn-on for her; the marks were an indication of his warriors spirit. They showed that he was willing to put his body and life on the line in mortal combat to defend others. But he had a true sense of honor; he would never kill a defeated opponent, no matter how vile and despicable they were.

Since her emergence into man's world, she'd never met another with a warrior's soul that so closely matched her own. While the others in the Justice League were brave, Batman was a special case. He was one of the few without any special abilities. Having know Superman for years, Diana knew that he was a great man who always had good intentions in mind, but she doubted that he would never have left his farm if it weren't for his powers. Almost of the others in the Justice League had been given a gift, and used it for admirable purposes. But Batman had no such abilities to speak of. He was smart and resourceful, but that was required for the Justice League. He went far above the call of duty; he could have easily lived out his days on his trust fund, but he was motivated by something else; the desire to combat injustice. His hatred of crime was so strong that he'd joined the fight against it by donning a mask and matching up against supercriminals. Whereas most men in his position would have been terrified to the point of soiling themselves by any of Batman's enemies, he repeatedly spat in their faces. She loved his valiant spirit, but still... Her growing maternal side wondered if he really had to beat himself up so much.

Diana sighed as she looked over the wounds. "Bruce... What am I going to do with you?"

"It's nothing that I haven't dealt with before. I'll be fi-YIOW."

Diana suddenly poked one of the bruises; gently, but still enough to make him jump in pain and surprise. Diana frowned at him. "That's what I thought. I'll go get the antiseptic..."

Fortunately, she'd seen this coming a mile away, and thought to pack a wide array of antibiotic ointments and creams. He winced as she began to rub the ointment into the wounds.

"Really, this is completely unnecessary. I've had worse than this."

"And it's a miracle that you're still alive. I may not be able to go out there and fight myself..." She paused for a moment to vigorously rub the ointment into one of the nastier cuts. "But I can still make sure that you're not trying to hard to get yourself killed."

"I've got everything under control."

"How many times have I heard that before? You _can't_ have everything under control, Bruce. Because there's too much to control. I admire you for trying, but you should know by now that there are some things that even _you_ can't do. Now stop squirming. If these get infected, it'll be really nasty."

Bruce frowned, but obliged. He could feel the hormones driving her. She'd become a bit possessive as of late. Not that he minded; he hadn't had a mother-figure in a long time, and it felt nice to have somebody trying to take care of him for once. Although he had noticed some changes in her as of late that he wasn't crazy about (the most notable of which was the inability to look at baby shoes without gasping and squealing about how cute they were). Of course this train of thought led once again to the thought of his looming fatherhood.

Diana saw Bruce's face grow pale, and seemed to read his mind. "Bruce, don't worry. You have months to get ready. We can schedule an appointment to find out the gender as soon as we get home, alright?"

Bruce nodded absentmindedly, and Diana rolled her eyes. "That reminds me, Bruce; we have to go to visit my mother soon."

This snapped Bruce back to attention? "What? Why?"

"She just wants to give us her blessing. And I think that she's anxious to meet you again. Please... Just try to be nice."

Bruce grunted and returned to staring out into space. Babies and in-laws; two battles that he'd been sure that the Batman would never have to face. Now he knew why he'd always insisted on working alone.

Author's Note: Alright, there's some decent character analysis here, so I'll let it slide, I guess. Tell me if you want me to continue to write the honeymoon sequence for a couple more chapters; I don't mind, but it could slow the plot down a bit, and most of the chapters would probably be in the same vein as this one and the last one. But I'm an open minded kind of guy, and I'll give it a shot if you guys wanna hear it.

lsjgf- I sent the message; I'm assuming that blocked out the email address as a way to filter spam. Not that it really worked, but oh well.


	11. Rolling Thunder

Author's Note: At this point, I'm officially stalling the plot. I'm waiting on responses from the kind souls who offered to help mr sort out my tangled mess of ideas; as soon as they get back to me, I think that I should be ready to get going with some of the main aspects of the story. I'm not sure what it is yet, but I think that you'll like it.

Now... It seems that there might have been a few misconceptions about what I was saying in my last Author's note; don't worry, I've been planning a return to Themyscira since before I finished the last story. In addition to in-law shenanigans (because who doesn't love shenanigans, right?) it will also contain PLOT SIGNIFICANCE (DEAR GOD!). So... This will probably end up being a short chapter. So... Yeah. As of yet, no ideas have sprung to mind. So we'll see.

Bruce and Diana stood at the base of the Eiffel Tower. Diana was staring upward, her jaw slightly open in amazement. No matter how many times she saw it, it still amazed her. Such a beautiful structure; despite having grown up around some amazing ancient Greek architecture, modern buildings fascinated her.

Bruce, on the other hand, was ignoring the tower completely, instead opting to eye the crowded streets, attempting to pinpoint any muggers or criminals.

"Isn't it beautiful, Bruce... Bruce?"

"Hm? Yeah. Beautiful."

Diana momentarily tore her gaze away from the tower, only to see him staring intently at the crowds that surrounded them. She gently slapped him on the arm. "You're Bruce Wayne right now. _Not_ Batman." She whispered in his ear. "Act like it."

"It never hurts to be too cautious."

"Bruce... You're missing one of the most beautiful sights in the world so you can prepare yourself for a mugging that may or may not take place. And I'm betting that it won't. And even if we were attacked, I'm sure that you would be able to take out a petty pickpocket."

"And I would be able to do it with about sixty percent more efficiency if I was fully prepared for the assault."

She simply gawked at him. "Bruce... How badly do you need to beat up a common criminal? I'm pretty sure that it should only take a couple of punches at the most..."

"That's not the point, it's-"

Bruce was interrupted by an arm being wrapped around his shoulder. He turned to the offender, with the intention of giving him a piece of his mind (and possibly his fist), but stopped short when he saw the man's face.

"Tony? What the hell are you doing here?"

"Bruce, I told you, I'm taking a vacation! After you put our business deal on hold, I decided that I'd stop by here. Say hi and all that." He looked around. The interaction between Bruce and Tony was beginning to attract attention for the crowd, as a meeting between two billionaire playboys was bound to. Normally, Tony enjoyed the attention, but he decided that this wasn't the time. "Come on. Let's go back to my penthouse and talk."

Bruce nodded reluctantly, and Tony began to walk away. Bruce beckoned for Diana to follow, and began to walk after him.

The three arrived at Tony's penthouse soon. Tony opened the door, and stepped inside. He gestured to three attractive blonde women sitting on his couch; all three promptly left the room, looking disappointed. Once they were gone, Tony collapsed on the couch. Bruce and Diana followed him in.

"So... I don't believe that we've met." Tony said, looking Diana up and down. "Who might you be?"

Bruce stepped forward. "This is Diana... _My wife._" He leaned in to hiss in Tony's ear. "And if you try anything, I'll make sure that you fondly look back on the beating that I gave you the other night."

"Try anything? I wasn't going to try anything." Tony lied. He turned back to Diana. "So... Got a sister?"

"Yes. Many."

Bruce looked at Diana. "Um... I really don't think that that's what he meant. Just forget it."

Tony looked at Bruce in amazement. "Where'd you find this girl, Bruce? You've gotta tell me."

Bruce ignored him. "Why did you bring us here?"

"Right, right. Well... First of all..." He unbuttoned his shirt, revealing the arc reactor. "Did you have to hit here? It's kind of powering my circulatory system at the moment, and a short can be a bit of an issue..."

"You started the fight, and you left your weak point open. Why the hell is it that the machine that powers your entire body is the only part of you that's exposed in that suit, anyway?"

"Fine, it's a design flaw. I'm working on it. But what was that thing anyway? I've never seen anything like it... And I've seen some weird shit.

"I'm not sure. I haven't done the autopsy yet. I have it frozen, and I'll get to dissecting it soon enough... Of course, the giant hole that you punched in it's chest could make that a bit difficult."

"Well I'm sorry, but I thought that the priority was killing the thing, I figured we could worry about the high school science aspect of it later."

Bruce glowered at him. "Well... Is that all?"

"Um... Yeah. I guess so."

Bruce left the room, followed by Diana, who stopped to give Tony a friendly wave before leaving.

Tony sighed to himself. "What a character." He muttered to himself, reaching for the phone to apologize to his girlfriends.

Author's note: I really enjoyed writing the last Tony Stark bit, and you guys seemed to like it. So I figured that I'd try it again. I'm going to try to incorporate him into the story a bit more. His role could vary depending on the story arc that I choose to use, but I'd like to give him a good part in it. So... I hope you enjoyed. There may be another update today, depending on how motivated I am.


	12. The Calm Before the Storm

Author's Note: Alright, I was going to put off writing this until tomorrow, but I'm in a really good mood right now. For one thing, the pieces are really coming together here. I've had some excellent interaction with one reader, and we're really seeing eye-to-eye on where the story should go, which is very reassuring. I think that I'll just wait a bit more to see if the other reader has any new ideas to add before I launch into the story. So be ready for that any day now.

The other reason I'm in a good mood... You guys just hit my all-time record for visitors to my stories in a 24 hour period, with hours to spare. GOOD JOB GUYS! I would give you confetti if I could do that kind of shit via the internet (wouldn't that be a great world?). But I can't, so you'll just have to settle for an early chapter. Awww. This is going to be the start of my ending the honeymoon arc, because I just can't think of anywhere else to go with it. I'm sorry, and I know that I promised you more of it, but I'll make it up to you somehow. I'll start with sickening amounts of fluff in this chapter. Yay. I need to get better at writing it anyway. So enjoy.

Bruce and Diana snuggled on the couch of their oceanside cottage. With their combined strength, they had easily been able to move the couch to a position where it faced out of the window. They rested in each others arms, watching the waves roll across the ocean. They stayed there for several hours, just enjoying each other's company before Diana finally spoke.

"You really do have quite a sensitive side, don't you?"

Bruce continued to stare at the ocean, contemplating her statement before answering. "Everything has it's place."

"Do you always have to be so cryptic? Would it kill you to give a straight answer for once in your life?"

"It might."

Diana rolled her eyes at him. "It's okay, it's one of the things that I love about you... Always a mystery."

"I do my best." He looked down at her, looking just a little bit nervous. "Don't tell anybody?"

She smirked at him. "Can't let anybody know the big bad Batman is just a softy, huh? It's alright, your secret is safe with me. But it really was very sweet of you to remember how much fun we had here last time."

The two returned to peacefully watching the sun set across the ocean. Diana looked up at Bruce again.

"You know... I really appreciate you doing this for me. I know that even if you won't admit it, you enjoyed yourself too." She looked out the window, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "It's really a shame that it has to come to an end..."

"Who said that it does?"

She looked at him curiously. "What do you mean? Did you extend the honeymoon?"

"Not really... I had a talk with the owners of this property, and they agreed to sell."

Diana's face lit up for a moment, before slowly becoming a mildly concerned look. "You do mean that _you_ talked to them... Not Batman, right?"

He laughed a little. "No, there was no coercion involved. Just a hefty amount of cash."

She hugged him more tightly. Even though she knew that money was terribly important to him (judging by how much of it he blew through to beat up criminals on a nightly basis), it was comforting to know that he was willing to make sacrifices for her.

He continued: "I'm sorry, but we can't stay right now. I need to get back to Gotham. I have business to take care of. Not to mention, I'm not sure how long that body will be able to keep. And I'm sure that the Justice League will be glad to have it out of the freezer."

"You know, I'm ready to get back too. It's been wonderful, but I think that It'll be nice to get back to reality."

"Hm. Maybe."

Diana sighed. "Alright, what's up now?"

"Something's wrong... I don't know what it is yet. It feels like the clam before the storm. I just feel like somethings going to go wrong soon... Something just doesn't add up."

"Bruce... What if it does?"

Her question caught him a bit off guard. "What do you mean?"

"What can you do to prevent it? Sometimes you have to just roll with the punches. You just have to deal with things as they come. I know how much you hate to have to do anything without a plan... But I don't think that you have a choice." She kissed him on the cheek. "Don't worry. I'm sure that everything will end up fine." She pulled herself closer to him. "It always does."

"I really hope that you're right..." But as usual, he just couldn't force himself to think optimistically. He knew that something strange was going on, and he wouldn't be able to let it go until he knew what it was.

Author's Note: So what is going on? Since I started writing this chapter, I've finally centered on one idea. This is going to mean that there could be some shocking twists and turns in the near future, but bear with me. So buckle your seatbelts... Shit's gonna get weird real soon, starting in the next chapter. I'm exhausted now, but I don't have work tomorrow or the day after, so I should be able to write early in the morning. Hopefully this will be enough to satisfy you guys for now. Once again, thank you all for reading, and I hope that you stick with me as I muddle my way through the rest of this story.


	13. Harvester of Sorrow

Author's Note: I think that I've finally got things straightened out. So... I imagine that I've confused some of you with all of my different plotlines that I've been working on all at once. So... Let's bring those together, shall we?

The Joker walked into the dark room after the Green Goblin. He didn't really know where he was, but then again, when did he?

The Goblin pushed him forward, nearly causing him to trip. At this point, the green-garbed villain was in no mood for games- he'd been dealing with the Joker's nonsense for weeks now, and he'd had more than enough. Even for one as insane as himself, the Joker's antics were just too much.

The Joker stumbled forward. The room was completely covered in a murky darkness. No walls were visible; even the light that had flowed in from the doorway failed to illuminate the room at all, seemingly being stopped at the entrance."

Suddenly, a grisly voice issued from the darkness of the room. It was deep, but sounded weary, as if tired by long centuries. It had an echoing quality to it; it seemed as if every syllable that it spoke bounced around the room before fading away.

_"Welcome... Joker."_

The Joker didn't respond. He simply continued to look around the room, trying to make out any details in the darkness. The Goblin punched him in the shoulder, making him look up. The voice spoke again.

_"I command you to speak!"_

The Joker looked around in confusion for a moment before slapping his forehead.

"Silly me!" He said, beginning to laugh heartily. "You see, I thought that you were one of _MY_ voices." Laughter shook his body.

The Goblin simply wondered what the voice could want from this idiot. No superpowers... No special abilities... Nothing! Just a deranged sense of humor.

The voice resumed speaking. _"I have brought you here to make an offer to you. I am quite sure that you will find it much to your liking..."_

The Joker's ears perked up. "Intriguing... Please... Tell me more?"

_"I will be arriving on Earth very shortly... In several months time, I shall be ready to land. However... The conditions must be right for my arrival. I want to induce as much havoc on the planet as possible before I make my arrival. And that is all that I ask of you... You must create chaos and despair..."_

The Joker's face brightened. "So... You're coming from space, eh? I guess that my reputation precedes me... But really guys? Seems a bit cliched, doesn't it? Oh, more aliens! That's refreshing, isn't it?" He said sarcastically.

_"Silence. You will do as you are told, or the consequences will be most... Severe..."_

"Keep your shirt on, I was planning on making some mischief anyway. It is what I do best, after all... As a matter of fact, you'll be pleased to know that I've already gotten a good head start. They won't know what hit 'em!"

_"Excellent... But you must time your assaults perfectly. We shall be arriving in exactly eight months' time."_

"Well that's excellent, I'll mark it on my calender!"

_"Now leave."_

The Joker saluted, and turned to leave. He attempted to walk out of the door, instead walking directly into the wall with a slightly muffled _'oof."_ With an air of irritation, the Goblin reached out to grab him by the collar of his purple overcoat, and forcefully threw the Joker out of the room before returning to the room.

"With all due respect... Do you honestly think that he's competent? He's a fool! A complete moron!"

_"You would do well not to underestimate the Joker... He will suit our purposes excellently. And you will assist him. He is key to my plans. He has extensive knowledge of the Earth's greatest line of defense... The so called 'Justice League.' With his assistance, we shall easily crush them."_

"But... Of course. Will there be anything else?"

The voice paused for a moment before speaking. _"I want you to keep a very close watch on the one called Batman... He could prove to be a very valuable ally, if everything falls into place correctly..."_

"I'm sorry sir... But that goal may be impossible to achieve... The Batman is unswayable... He's dedicated to his cause, and stubborn as any other man alive... And I sincerely doubt that he would agree with our cause..."

_"In that case... Changes can be made. Do not forget your own case... Now.. Leave me in peace... I must think... But rest assured that I WILL have the Batman by my side..."_

Author's Note: Hm... Interesting. I don't really have much to add here... I think I'll just let you mull this over on your own for a bit before I give any more details. This is getting good.


	14. New Mysteries

Author's Note: I've had the last chapter in mind for quite a while, and now... It's time to put that plot on hold for a while. Sorry... Just think of it as building suspense, even though in reality it's just me juggling about four separate (at the moment, anyway) plot-lines. I'll get back to it eventually; I'm going to be writing overtime to get there as fast as I can. I have big plans here, and there are some that I can't wait to put in motion. But unfortunately, those events will have to wait for the_ plot_ (yuck) to catch up. But stay tuned... All questions will be answered in due time.

Batman was back to work in no time. Almost immediately after he arrived at Wayne Manor, he'd rushed to the Batcave and had J'onn teleport him to the Watchtower. In no time at all, he was in the process of cutting into monster that he'd faced the month before. Superman had filled him in on the details surrounding the monster's appearance; authorities reported that the damage had been very extensive, ranging from cracked streets to completely collapsed buildings. The most unsettling piece of information confirmed Batman's worst fears; a large crater had been found not far from the site of the beast's attack.

Although no extraterrestrial objects found in the vicinity, the crater was more than enough evidence to convince Batman that the beast had come from space. Coupled with Ra's al Ghul's warning, they formed quite an ominous omen.

The monster's anatomy proved very frustrating to Batman. He glanced at the small pile of dissection knives on the table, all of which had been spent in attempt after attempt to break through the tough hide. But the mysteries inside proved to be just as difficult to crack. Batman had expected a mystery, but instead he found that the monster's anatomy was rather familiar. It wasn't unlike a human's; it contained organs that he easily recognized. He was quickly able to find what seemed to be a small stomach, and he could see what appeared to be lungs, although they had been mostly destroyed by Ironman's punch. His attempts to crack through the skull to get a look at the brain were unsuccessful; it's tough skin proved to be to hard and thick. He settled for an x-ray- the cavity that housed the brain was surprisingly large.

The dissection ended up revealing more new puzzles than it solved. The monster's anatomy was too similar to a human's to be completely unrelated... But it couldn't have originated on Earth. It was far to large to hide in a large population, and as it had demonstrated in Paris, it was no master of subtlety.

Diana entered the room to find Batman elbow deep in the beast's intestines. He looked over at her when he heard the door open.

"This is kind of a bad time..."

"I can see that... But I came to remind you that we're going to Themyscira to meet my mother today. We have to leave in three hours."

Batman swore and dropped his knife into the monster's large intestine. "Three hours?"

"Yes, Bruce. You've been in here for nearly five already. Don't worry, you can sleep in the jet... Just make sure that you remember to shower first..." She finished, wrinkling her nose at the horrible smell emanating from the deceased monster.

"Right..."

An hour and a half later, Bruce had finished showering, and was pacing his bedroom, trying to decide between the clothes that he'd laid out on the bed. One one side was his best tuxedo; on the other was his Batsuit. After twenty minutes of pacing, Diana entered the room.

"Bruce, what's taking you so long?" She looked at the clothes that were neatly spread out on the bed. "Bruce, you don't need to impress anybody. Just be yourself."

"I know... But which one?"

"Why don't you try both?"

"Right... But that doesn't really help me make a decision about what to wear..." He said, thinking briefly about trying to wear both the tuxedo and the bastuit at the same time.

"I'm sure that she'll be delighted to meet you either way."

"I sincerely doubt that..."

"Bruce, just pick one. Take a leaf out of your friend's book and flip a coin. Just pick one."

She left the bedroom and headed to the batcave, climbing into Batman's jet. In minutes, she heard quiet footsteps approach through the jet's hatch. She sighed to herself.

"I should have known that you'd choose the one that covered your face... Alright, we might as well go now."

She started the jet's engine, and lifted the legs while Batman sat down in the passenger seat. She activated the ignition, and the jet took off.

Batman slept through a good part of the journey, but was awakened by his excellently trained reflexes just before the island came in sight. In a matter of minutes, he could make out bits of gold on the beaches of the island; as they approached, he could see that they were the battle armor of the amazon warriors that awaited them. They were all very tall, like Diana, and possessed striking features. Batman could make out a figure in the center of the crowd, garbed in white, with flowing white-blonde hair. He recognized her as Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, and mother of Diana. She was an intimidating sight, despite being the only of the amazons not clad in battle armor.

Diana smoothly landed the jet on the beach, while the amazons curiously gathered around it. She quickly turned to Bruce. _"Be. Nice."_ She said, keeping her teeth clenched. Batman nodded slowly. Satisfied, Diana pressed a button to open the hatch.

Author's Note: It's time for some shenanigans before the real plot kicks in. Because everybody loves shenanigans. On an unrelated note, typing is killing my fingers right now. I've busted up my hands playing bass lately, and I've got some nasty blisters forming. Fortunately, I've dealt with a ton of blisters from guitar and drums, and I won't let it slow me down. It is eating up a lot of my time, though; I can play plugged in now, and I've been doing so for hours at a time lately. But I'll keep trying to keep up with writing; I still have another day off. So expect an update soon.


	15. All for the Glory

Author's Note: Sorry about the kind of strange cutoff point last time, but I'm ready to continue now... So... Yeah... Nothing new to say here.

Diana climbed down the drop-down ladder that fell from the hatch of the plane. She ran across the beach to greet her Hippolyta.

"Mother!" She exclaimed happily as she ran across the beach.

"Diana, I have waited for a long time to see you again, and I am glad to see that you are well. Although... You seem to have put on weight..."

Diana smiled at her mother, who was almost completely ignorant in the ways of man. "No mother... It's a bit difficult to explain." She leaned in to whisper in her mother's ear. Hippolyta's expression quickly shifted from confusion, to terror, and finally settled on joy.

"Diana, that is wonderful news... But why did you not use clay?"

"Um... That's not how they do things in man's world." Diana was beginning to wonder the same thing herself.

"So... where is the man?"

Diana looked back at the jet. Right on cue, Batman exited the jet. He ignored the ladder completely, instead opting to jump down. He landed neatly, his cape cloaking his entire body. Hippolyta leaned over to whisper in her daughter's ear.

"You are completely sure that he _is_ actually a man, right?"

Diana rolled her eyes at Bruce's unnecessary theatrics. She walked over to him, and forcefully pulled back his cowl. He scowled for a moment before continuing to walk forward. Hippolyta approached him and shook his hand in greeting.

"Welcome, Bruce Wayne... Or as my daughter tells me, you prefer 'Batman?"

Batman nodded slowly, his face remaining as emotionless as ever. Hippolyta continued. "You have quite an interesting reputation, Batman. My daughter tells me that you are an impressive warrior?"

Batman nodded again, not one to speak his mind until he could be sure of what he was dealing with. The amazons watched him curiously. Most had never seen a man before, and wondered if they were all like this. Hippolyta observed his behavior for another moment.

"Hm... I sense great strength within you." She said carefully looking him over. Once again, he didn't respond.

"Is he mute?" Hippolyta asked, turning to Diana.

"No... He can speak. But you wouldn't know it."

"So you are a man of few words... Then perhaps I would be better off to judge you by your actions alone?"

Bruce finally spoke. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"We have prepared a festival tonight, welcoming you into our family... But in the meantime, I would like to request to see your skills firsthand."

"You want me to fight...?"

Hippolyta nodded. "Yes. As I'm sure that you've discovered by now," she said, gesturing towards Diana, "we Amazons are natural warriors. If you are to join us... Then you must show your mettle. What do you say?"

Batman knew that he couldn't turn down the challenge. He nodded once again to show his approval.

"Excellent... Follow me." The Queen began to leave the beach, followed by Batman and the rest of the Amazons. She led them through the streets of Themyscira; they soon reached the center of the island. The sight amazed Bruce; all of the architecture on Themyscira was amazing, but this was something else entirely. He stood before a huge colosseum; it wasn't quite as large as the one in Rome, but it was in excellent condition. It appeared to receive regular care and use.

Hippolyta signaled for the rest of the Amazons to take their seats in the arena. She led Bruce and Diana to the door at the end of the hallway. Bruce turned to face the Amazon queen.

"I'm assuming that there's some sort of a set of rules here, right?"

"Of course. You will battling in no holds barred melee combat. The only is no weaponry. You may, however, use these." She produced a set of bracelets similar to the ones that Diana and the rest of the Amazons wore. When Bruce took them, he nearly dropped them in surprise. They were heavier than lead. He uneasily slipped them on under his gauntlets; they seemed to pull his arms down to his sides. Hippolyta continued to speak; "You will fight until you can fight no more."

"Eloquent. But isn't that dangerous?"

Hippolyta laughed heartily. "I wouldn't worry about injuring your opponents if I were you; that will be the least of your concerns. I have trained these girls well. Diana should be a suitable example."

"Fair enough... But who do I fight?"

"Any who wish to battle you. I hope you're up for a challenge. These girls aren't used to defeat. So... Should you manage to somehow defeat one, then you may have to continue to battle them all until you fall."

Bruce raised an eye. "Are you doubting my abilities?"

"No, I am sure that you are competent. But as strong as you are... You are still just a man. It is unlikely that you will be able to measure up to my Amazons."

Bruce turned to the door. "We'll see." He had some doubts of his own; if each of these girls were truly as strong as Diana, even without her armor, then he could be in for quite a challenge. Especially if he had to fight them all. But he knew that he had no choice; his honor was on the line. Not that it mattered much to him, but he knew how important honor and pride were to Diana and the rest of the Amazons.

Diana gave him a kiss on the cheek for good luck before turning to follow her mother to the arena's seating area. Bruce waited for a moment, readying himself for battle. He took a deep breath, and pushed the doors open.

He was almost blown off his feet by the explosive wave of cheering that met his ears; although the population of the island was relatively small, it seemed that the all of it's inhabitants had arrived to view the spectacle. Being a warrior race, they were quite riled, and eager to watch the fight. As Batman stepped out into the light of the arena, the crowd quieted. He felt their curious stares drilling into him once again; it made him more than a little bit uncomfortable. He wasn't accustomed to fighting for an audience.

He stripped off his cape, belt, and the upper part of his uniform to ensure that he wasn't hiding any weapons (he was in fact, hiding several gadgets in his pants and boots, but he had no intentions of using them- or of removing his pants in front of such a large crowd of female warriors). The crowd gasped in shock upon seeing his numerous battle scars; Bruce managed to pick Diana out of the crowd; when she saw him looking, she gave him a reassuring wink.

His first opponent was already waiting for him in the center of the arena. She was a huge brunette with an athletic build. Bruce couldn't help but notice that she was much taller than Diana, who was an impressive six feet at the least. She shot him a cocky smile, and cracked her knuckles. Bruce instantly realized that she was trying to intimidate him, and refused to be beaten at his own game. He simply stared at her coldly; he saw her confidence crumble a little under his stone-faced glare.

Hippolyta gave the gesture for them to begin. Before Batman could react, the Amazon had launched herself at him with incredible force. He had no time to brace himself- he was forcefully knocked to the ground. He recovered quickly, and stood up feeling a bit dazed. _'Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all...'_ He thought to himself. He had no time to idle; out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Amazon preparing another attack. He shook his head and jumped just in the nick of time. As she passed underneath him, be threw his legs out, kicking her shoulders, and throwing her off balance. She stumbled, and fell to the ground. She righted herself quickly.

_'Holy shit! She's built like a tank!'_ Batman couldn't help but be impressed at the ease with which she shook off the blow. But he was far from out of tricks. He grinned at her and waved his hand, baiting for her to make the next move. She took the bait; she sprinted towards him with a fist pulled behind her back. He made a motion as if he was preparing to roll sideways, but changed his course of action at the las second. He quickly ducked, launching himself at her ankles. He managed to latch one arms around her thighs, and wrapped the other around the small of her back. With a bit of effort, he managed to lift her, flipping her and dropping her on her back. She groaned a bit and tried to rise again, but quickly fell unconscious. The crowd fell silent for a moment before erupting into chaos.

Every Amazon in the arena stood to her feet; some were cheering wildly, while others appeared furious. Bruce managed to pick Diana and Hippolyta from the crowd again; Diana was glowing with pride, while Hippolyta looked intrigued. Meanwhile, the rest of the Amazons clamored forth to challenge him. The chaos continued for several moments until-

"**SILENCE**." Hippolyta's calm but authoritative voice cut through the noise. The Amazons settled down instantly. Hippolyta stood, and began to make her way down the stairs, and into the center of the arena. Diana followed her cautiously. They stopped in front of Bruce.

"I think that that is enough. You have proved your merit... But I have a request to ask of you."

Diana's eyes widened. "You don't mean..." Hippolyta nodded. "Mother, no!"

Batman gave the two of them a confused look. "What's going on?"

Hippolyta turned to face him. "I would like to test you... Firsthand."

Diana pulled Bruce aside and looked at him pleadingly. "You don't have to, Bruce. You've proven yourself."

"I don't see any reason to back down now."

"You don't know what she's capable of. She's had thousands of years to perfect her skills. And you've just fought. I doubt that you would last long against her at your best."

"Thanks for the support... Thousands of years...?"

"Yes. You mustn't fight her. I fear that even she doesn't know the boundaries of her own strength."

Batman thought for a moment. "I'll take the risk."

The two returned to where Hippolyta waited. Batman stepped forward. "I'll accept your challenge."

"Wonderful... I see now how you managed to catch my daughter's attention. Now... Choose your method of combat... Armed, or unarmed?"

Bruce weighed his odds carefully. On one hand, if he remained unarmed, then so did she. Keeping her unarmed mitigated his chances of severe injury, but on the other hand, he had great faith in his ability with weaponry.

"Armed."

He went to retrieve his shirt, cape, and belt. He pulled the cowl over his face, and returned to the center of the arena. Hippolyta gestured to one of the Amazons, who scurried away, returning with a sword and shield. Hippolyta took them, and the Amazon quickly returned to the stands, reluctantly followed by Diana. Once they were clear, Hippolyta returned her attention to the Batman.

"It's your move, Batman."

"I don't like to make the first move."

"A very wise policy." She rushed toward him, extending the blade of the sword in front of her. He barely managed to dodge, beginning to question his decision to engage in armed combat with her. He countered with a one-handed backflip; he used his free hand to hurl a Batarang. She expertly blocked with her shield, harmlessly deflecting the Batarang. She quickly closed the distance between them, and used her shield to bash him upside the head, sending him reeling backwards. He staggered for a moment, but quickly regained his footing. She charged forward with her sword, attempting to lay it against the side of his throat, but he managed to pull out his bat-lasso and wrapped it around the blade. Although he was unable to pull it from her grip, he managed to prevent it from scraping his neck.

Batman panted lightly. The bracelets that he'd been given were beginning to hold him down. As he did not possess the strength of the Amazons, they proved to be quite heavy for him. He realized that he'd best make use of them, or else he'd be wasting his energy by carrying the extra weight. Hippolyta launched another assault with her sword; however, Batman managed to catch her off guard this time. Rather than dodge, he opted to parry, using the combination of his spiked gauntlet and the indestructible bracelet underneath. He used the solid spikes to pull the sword out of her loosened grip, and took it for his own. He slid a leg outwards, tripping her and causing her to fall onto her back. He placed the tip off the sword against her throat.

"Yield."

Hippolyta's reaction was rather unexpected; she laughed, and threw up her arms in defeat. Bruce dropped the sword and helped her to her feet. The audience was completely stunned; they remained silent for a full minute before a somewhat subdued applause began to echo around the arena. None could believe that they'd just seen their mighty queen defeated by this newcomer. Hippolyta waved for them to leave the arena, and go about preparing for the night's festivities. As they left, they muttered amongst themselves, discussing the awesome spectacle that they had just witnessed.

Diana ran to her husband and mother. "That was amazing, Bruce!"

"It was most impressive." Hippolyta agreed. "You have earned some rest. Diana will show you to your quarters. Enjoy the remainder of your time here; I have arranged for a festival to be held tonight in your honor. But for now, just enjoy yourself. I'm sure that Diana would be delighted to show you around the island, if you wish.

Batman nodded gratefully. He'd been tired before he reached the island, but his confrontations with the Amazons had pushed him over the edge. Diana gently took his hand, and began to lead him away.

Author's Note: I HATED writing this chapter. Especially the beginning. It's my fault, I rushed things along too much, and I got to this point a little bit too soon. So I had to deal with some writer's block, but I think that I have things sorted out. I had a very hard time getting this chapter out, and I think that it shows in the writing. It seems sloppy, and doesn't flow very well in my opinion, but it's there. It was actually supposed to be a bit longer, but I figured that there was enough left here so that I could lop it off and have that act as the next chapter.

This chapter didn't hold my attention at all, but I hope you'll have a better time with it. It really lacks flow, mostly because my routine for today was essentially: write for ten minutes, play bass for forty minutes, eat something, repeat. There was a midmorning/aternoon nap in there somewhere, but let the records show that I worked on this intermittently from 6AM to 2AM. And the result is this mess. Sort of a cross between Meet the Parents and 300. Like I've said before, you win some and you lose some. I just might take the day off from writing tomorrow; I have to work, and I'm going through a bit of writer's block. But check back anyway, I hope that I'll have something to show you guys really soon. I think that the next chapter should turn out a bit better.


	16. Ancient History?

Author's Note: Yeah, I promised some shenanigans in the last chapter. Yeah, I failed to deliver. I'll try to do better.

Bruce sat on Diana's bed, gingerly rubbing his jaw. He'd sensed that Hippolyta had been holding back some of her strength in the name of fairness... But still, her shield had left quite a mark; the left side of his face had been bruised pretty badly, and was beginning to swell. Diana returned with a jar of some kind of powder. Bruce winced slightly as she began to rub it in.

"Hold still. I warned you about this."

Bruce tried to speak, but found that his jaw was held firmly in place by the swelling. He settled for a scowl instead.

"But what do I know? I've only known my mother for a five hundred years, after all. What do I know? All I can say is that you're lucky that she was holding her strength back, or you would have been a bloody pulp after the first blow."

Finally, he managed to speak. "I won, didn't I?" It sounded slightly comical, with his entire face bruised, and his jaw locked shut.

"If that's all that's important to you." She finished rubbing the powder across his face. "Alright, that should bring the swelling down a bit... But keep in mind, I'm no miracle worker."

Bruce could already feel the powder working; the throbbing pain began to dull, and he could feel the swelling going down around his jaw. With some difficulty, he opened his left eye, and ran his tongue around his mouth to check for any missing teeth. Fortunately, they were all still there. Finally, he continued to speak.

"As a matter of fact... Winning isn't all that's important to me. I needed to gain your mother's trust and respect. I think that she might have some answers for me."

Diana rolled her eyes. "Do you _always_ have to have an ulterior motive for everything that you do?"

"Yes." He responded bluntly.

"Fine. But what 'answers' do you think that she has?"

"You said that she's thousands of years old, right?"

"Yes, just don't tell her I told you."

"I think that she might have some information about the threat that Ra's al Ghul warned about. I think that it may be connected to the monster from Paris."

"Not this again..."

"There's too much there for it to be a coincidence. During the autopsy, I found that that monster's anatomy was nearly identical to a standard Earthling reptile's. And Ra's al Ghul mentioned that the aliens that were arriving had been here before. There just _has _to be a connection."

"Of course! Would you like me to call up the Question so you guys can trade ideas?" Diana responded sarcastically.

Bruce shrugged. I just want to ask her a few questions. If anybody would have information about aliens visiting Earth in the past, it would be her."

"Bruce, I've known you for far too long to try and stop you... Just remember... She _is_ my mother. Try not to come off as _too_ crazy, alright? She gave him a kiss on his right cheek.

Bruce winked at her with his functioning eye. "You know me, Diana."

"I do. And that's why I'm worried."

The festivities that night were immense. The Amazons had prepared a huge fire pit. Once the sun set, they began to sing tribal songs and dance around it. The sight startled Bruce a little; he hadn't expected such a spectacle. Diana, however, immediately jumped in to join her sisters. Bruce shook his head, and moved on to find Hippolyta. He found her in the center of another circle of Amazons, seated behind a large harp. She stood to greet him when she saw him approach.

"Bruce, I'm glad to see that you're well." She said, examining the impressive bruise. "Most men wouldn't have had the courage to stand up after a blow of that caliber, even if they somehow managed to retain consciousness. But tell me... Why have you not joined in the festivities? Diana tells me that you enjoy nothing more than a fun time..."

"That's half true." He conceded. "But I put business first."

"Of course. But what business do you have right now?"

"I have some questions for you. Could we speak in private?"

"I would be delighted." She led him to the outskirts of the crowd of wildly dancing Amazons and looked at him expectantly. "So... How can I help you?"

"Diana tells me that you've been alive on Earth for centuries."

"If you want to be blunt about it."

"I was hoping that you could tell me if you've seen something like this before?" Batman produced a picture of the monster that he'd taken prior to the autopsy. Hippolyta took the picture, and examined it for a moment. She looked back at the crowd to make sure that Diana was still dancing with her sisters, and urgently pulled Bruce away.

"Follow me, and stay silent."

Batman did as he was instructed; she led him to a huge building not far from the Colosseum that he'd battled in earlier.

"This is our hall of records. It contains thousands of years worth of history. The content is limited, as I do not allow content from man's world to reach our shores, but I believe that you may find what you are looking for here." She led him inside; the walls were lined with books, scrolls, and even some pottery. She began to walk over to the left side of the room. She retrieved a relatively fresh looking scroll from it's place. She brought it back, and handed it to Bruce. He unfurled it with some apprehension.

The first thing he noticed was the picture that adorned it. It was just an etching, but it was clear enough. He could make out that it was some kind of horned lizard, and that it bore an incredible likeness to his own monster.

"The text reads-"

"I can read it." Batman interrupted.

Hippolyta raised an eye, intrigued. "You can read Greek texts? You truly are an enigma, Bruce Wayne. But... The matter at hand is most pressing. Creatures of that likeness have not been seen in centuries."

"Of course... You're saying that it was some kind of dragon?"

"Yes. Although... They seem to have changed slightly since I last saw them..."

"You saw them firsthand?"

"Indeed... A small group of them somehow made their way to our shores. However, the Gods were kind, and we managed to defeat them. But... They managed to wreak a considerable amount of damage on man's world. In the end, they were brought to extinction... Or so it seemed."

"Wait... You're saying that the monster that attacked me was a _dragon?_"

"Well what did you think it was?"

Bruce was caught a bit off guard; as a matter of fact, he hadn't even thought about what it really was; he'd just assumed that the concept would be completely unfamiliar to him. "Right... I've seen stranger things?"

"Yes... I'm sure that you have..." She said, looking over his costume. "But now is no time to worry. We have prepared a feast in order to properly welcome you into our family. And I'm sure that you'll find that there are other benefits... Come to think of it, you are the first prince of the Amazons... I never could have imagined it before."

Bruce smirked a bit to himself, thinking about how jealous the Flash would be if he'd heard that title.

"We shall begin the ritual after the festivities; you will be endowed with the strength of the Amazon warriors, and a greatly expanded lifespan."

Batman's eyes narrowed. "This sounds to good to be true."

"Rest assured, there will be no price to pay... At least for you."

"I don't like the sound of that."

"You see... By embracing man's world, Diana will have no choice but to surrender her immortality. A balance must be struck; she will lose a small portion of her strength, and you will gain some. She will lose a piece of her life, and yours will be extended."

Batman's eyes widened. "Does she know?"

"Yes. And she has chosen a life with you. I may not like it, but I must let her go her own way... But you are a good man. One of few. I only wish to see that she is happy, and with you, I can rest knowing that she will be. So please... Watch over my little sun and stars."

Batman nodded, a little stunned.

"Good... I just hope that you aren't as crazy as you look."

Batman shrugged. Personally, he wouldn't say that he was crazy, but sometimes he wondered. Hippolyta continued.

"So... What's this 'Baby' business that Diana's been telling me about?"

Bruce's face paled a little under his cowl. "It... It's complicated."

"I'm sure that you can explain it."

"...I'm not sure that that's a good idea..."

Author's Note: This one was a breeze. I would have had it up hours earlier, but it ended up being pretty long, and I had to work. But it happens. Now we're getting a taste of the new challenges that await the Justice League; but just a taste. I've got big things in store for you guys. Stay tuned for another chapter tonight (hopefully).


	17. Friend or Foe?

The evening had gone quite well. Once she'd returned from her discussion with Batman, a visibly saddened Hippolyta had performed the ceremony giving her blessing to Diana and Bruce. After a full evening of festivities, they parted with a tearful goodbye.

"You could have told me."

"Bruce sat across from Diana in the Bat-jet , his arms crossed over his chest.

"Sorry. I just assumed that you knew.'

"How could I have known?"

"You're the world's greatest detective. I thought that you be able to figure out that if she's never seen a man, she probably wouldn't know much about where babies come from."

Bruce glowered in the face of her logic. "Well you're her daughter. Why couldn't you explain it? You're her daughter, after all..."

"Relax, Bruce. She took it well enough..."

"She fainted."

"That's not that bad. After all, it is pretty-"

"That's enough." Batman cut her off, turning back to navigating.

"Whatever you say, Bruce."

Bruce smoothly pulled into the oceanside crevasse that led to the Batcave. To Diana's surprise, he did not pull of his cowl as he usually did when he entered the cave.

"Bruce... Why aren't you getting undressed?"

"I'm going out."

"As Batman? In the daytime?"

"Yes. Is there a problem with that?"

"Well... Yes, but far be it from me to point it out. I personally think that the Batman could use a bit of sunlight every once in a while." She jested as she headed upstairs to get some rest.

Batman once again entered the jet. He programmed the autopilot to take him to New York, and activated the Jet, steeling himself for yet another long flight.

Peter Parker flung himself across the New York skyline; people pointed and gawked as he flew overhead, but he didn't care. He knew that as long as he was wearing his Spiderman costume and mask, nobody would be able to identify him. He'd heard reports on his police radio of a bank robbery in progress, and figured that the police could use his assistance.

As he swooped through the sky, his precognitive reflexes alerted him to the fact that something was amiss. He looked behind him, just in time to see a strange shadow disappear behind a building. He made a note to look into it later.

He continued to travel for several moments before he sensed immediate danger. He looked upwards to see a black boomerang rushing towards him. It cut through his web, causing him to free fall through the air. He flailed his arms for a second before launching a web to catch himself, but the moment that he was distracted was more than enough to allow an assault from his attacker. He felt a sudden, solid impact on the back of his head, and felt no more.

Spiderman awakened from a daze on an unfamiliar rooftop. "Oh shit, I have to get to the bank!" He arched his back and jumped to his feet.

"There's no need. It's taken care of."

A figure appeared in the shadows; Spiderman had never met him in person, but he'd seen plenty of him in the news to recognize the silhouette. "B-Batman?"

The figure stepped partway into the light; just enough for Spiderman to confirm that his assailant was indeed the caped crusader. He raised his hand and prepared for a fight.

"You wanna piece of me, Bats?"

"No. I just need... Information."

Spiderman dropped his fists. "You could have just asked... Geez..."

"I get the feeling that you don't trust me."

"That's because you attacked me in midair, and..." He was distracted by a sharp pain in his back. "Did you just let me fall?"

"It couldn't have been more than thirty feet. I've fallen from higher."

Spiderman shook his head in disbelief at what he was hearing. "Fine, whatever. Just tell me what you want."

"There was a breakout at Arkham Asylum in Gotham."

"That's where they keep the _real_ crazies, isn't it?"

"Yes. And the guy who broke in seemed to have a particular target in mind... The Joker."

Spiderman didn't like where this was going. He'd never had any involvement with the Joker, and from what he'd heard, he was lucky.

"B-but... What does this have to do with me?"

"The cameras got a decent shot of the guy who sprung the Joker. I need you to take a look." Batman reached into one of the back pockets of his belt, and pulled out a photograph. He tossed it to the ground by Spiderman's feet.

Spiderman carefully bent down to pick it up, and was shocked at what he saw. He clearly remembered the 'man' pictured in the photo- his ex-archnemesis, the Green Goblin. Spiderman shook his head.

"It can't be him. The Goblin is dead. It has to be fake."

"He has the exact same costume and technology, and even matches estimated height and weight."

"It's not him. I watched the Green Goblin die."

Batman seemed satisfied. He returned the picture to his belt, and prepared to swing away with his grapple gun.

Spiderman stopped him before he could leave. "Wait... That's all?"

"Yes." Without another word, he swung off into the distance, leaving Spiderman alone on the rooftop.

"What a wacko..."

Author's Note: I don't know why, but this one was a bit awkward. Especially in terms of grammar, which usually comes pretty naturally to me. I guess I'm just off my game tonight... Or imagining things. Either way.

Now... For my updating schedule. Things could be tight for a while- three more days of summer vacation, and I'm working two of them. Yay. Because I'm just that exciting. Fortunately, once school starts, I'll be working a lot less. That's good for you guys, because school is a hell of a lot less exhausting than working, and I'll have more energy for writing.

It would speed things up a bit if I could just write the next few chapters like this one; just jump in, and explain as I go. I have a lot of disjointed ideas that I want to pack into the next few chapters, and I'm thinking that that could make things a bit easier. So tell me wether or not you like this format. I don't know when I'll be able to post again; I have another long shift tomorrow, but at least I'm not closing, so I might have some energy after work. Expect it fairly late tomorrow night if at all.


	18. Little Pink Houses for you and me

"Are you sure this is the place?" Diana looked around herself as she walked. She was surrounded by rundown apartment buildings, and the street's pavement was badly cracked.

Bruce nodded solemnly. There was no way that he could ever forget this place, no matter how hard he tried. They walked a short distance, before stopping in front of a building labeled 'Thomas Wayne Memorial Clinic.' He opened the door, and slowly waked in.

Diana followed him, and found herself in a small waiting room. There was a small couch and a few magazines, but the room was mostly bare. Bruce stepped in front of the receptionist's desk. "I'm here to see Dr. Thompkins."

"Of course, Mr. Wayne. She'll just be a moment." The receptionist went back to her work, and Bruce and Diana began to wait, watching the door to the doctor's office.

Within a minute, a rather short old woman with graying hair tied in a tight bun appeared in the doorframe, accompanied by a tall man with numerous scars and very few teeth. She patted him on the back, and he left through the front door. The old woman turned her attention to Bruce and Diana. "Bruce. I must say I was surprised to receive your call." She said, ushering them through the door. "Especially since you never call. As a matter of fact, I can never recall you using the front door. Of course, the window _is_ much more convenient. It is good to see you, though. It's been a long time since I've seen you when you aren't bleeding from your jugular, or some such nonsense."

"Circumstances change."

"Clearly. But I must warn you again... Prenatal care is not my specialty. In fact, my knowledge on the subject is relatively limited. I'm no obstetrician."

"I'm sure that you're more than competent. And I need somebody that I can really trust."

"Because doctors tend to be such an unscrupulous bunch. Alright then... As you wish." The woman extended a hand to Diana. "I'm Doctor Leslie Thompkins. It's an honor to meet you... I'd like to say that Bruce has told me all about you, but... You know Bruce."

Diana chuckled. "Of course. I'm pleased to meet you as well."

"You know, I thought that Bruce would never settle down."

"Trust me, he hasn't."

"Well, it's a step in the right direction. Rome wasn't built in a day, after all. These things take time. But a child... He'll have to settle down now, won't he?" She looked at Bruce.

"We'll see," He responded in his usual, cryptic fashion.

"I shouldn't expect you to change so quickly. You'll do as you see fit... As usual. I do wish that you'd take it easy on yourself..."

He grinned at her. "I wouldn't count on it."

"Neither would I." She turned back to Diana. "So... I trust you're familiar with the procedure by now?"

Diana nodded, lying down on the table and lifting her shirt. Dr. Thompkins squirted a cold gel onto her stomach, placed the transducer in the gel. Ash she moved the transducer across Diana's belly, a picture came into focus on the screen. Dr. Thompkins squinted at the fuzzy picture.

"Alright, just give me a moment to focus it... In the meantime, why don't you sit down, Bruce?"

"I'm fine standing."

"That may be. But your pacing is getting on my nerves. Sit down."

Bruce reluctantly obliged. Dr. Thompkins turned some dials on the machine. "Oh dear..."

"What? Is something wrong?" Bruce asked, panic in his voice.

"Well... I'll try to explain." She made sure that Bruce was still in his seat before pointing at the screen. You see... This is your baby." She said, pointing at a somewhat shapeless gray mass. "And this..." She pointed to a different grey mass, "Is the other baby."

Diana looked at the Doctor in confusion for a moment. "You mean there are _two?_" She lost her composure for a moment and squealed in delight. "Isn't it great, Bruce?... Bruce?"

She looked over at the chair where Bruce had been sitting, only to find it empty, it's former occupant slumped on the floor in an unconscious heap.

"Oh, Bruce..."

Leslie chuckled. "A bit too much, too fast, I guess... Even the Batman has his limits, it seems."

Author's Note: Well... At the end of the last story, I pulled the most cliched and foreseeable plot twist in fanfiction history. So I figured that, in accordance with tradition, the second most cliched and foreseeable plot twist was in order. Why? I have my reasons. Just please don't judge me to harshly for not knowing what they are. I write pretty much solely on impulse, and it's done me pretty well so far. But for those of you shaking your heads, the soap opera-ish part of the story is coming to a close. Soon, there'll be some action. And then... Some MORE action. And then the part that I _really_ can't wait to get to. But There's still a bit more setup... It really seems like the parts that I can't wait to get to are light years away. But we're getting there. I should be easily able to post tomorrow. Only a five-hour, non-closing shift at work, so I shouldn't be too tired to write afterwards.


	19. Neurotic to the Bone, No Doubt About it

Zatanna appeared with a loud _'poof'_ in front of the gates of Wayne Manor. She cast a spell to unlock the gate, and sprinted toward the manor as fast as she could. She purposefully pushed open the doors and let herself in.

"BRUCE?" She shouted. "ARE YOU AL-" To her surprise, she found Bruce sitting on the couch; he looked a bit bewildered her startling entry, but seemed unharmed for the most part.

"I got your message..."

He looked at her in shock for a moment. "I... I just said I needed to talk... Nothing to worry about..."

"I'm sorry..." She said, blushing sheepishly. "I assumed that it was like some kind of coded distress call..."

"Is it that hard to believe that I'd call just to talk?"

"Well... Yes. It absolutely is. Anyway... What did you need?"

He seemed to sink back into himself momentarily before answering. "I-it's the ultrasound..."

Zatanna's expression turned to one of shock. "Bruce, is there something wrong with the baby?"

He thought for a moment before shaking his head.

"Well... I guess that's good. Is it a boy or a girl?"

"... Both."

"Y-you mean-"

"No, I mean there are two of them."

Zatanna looked at him in confusion for a moment before bursting out in laughter. "THAT'S what you're so worked up about? Really? Come on Bruce... I know you have some family issues, but they're still just babies. I'm sure there's nothing they can do that's worse than having to go head to head with the Joker."

He gave her a forlorn look. "Don't you get it? I can't raise _a_ kid! Never mind two! I don't know anything about kids... I was never a kid. And Diana was _made out of clay._ How the hell are we supposed to do this?"

"You can start by not worrying about it. Kids can sense fear, you know. You and Diana are smart people. You'll figure it out. And you'll both be great parents. I'm sure of it."

"But I don't know _how_ to be a parent..."

"From what I've heard, you had some great parents. Follow their examples."

"They died when I was eight years old... I can barely even remember them."

"Well... It's obvious that they had quite an impact on you... And you still have Alfred. He raised you, and you turned out..."

He looked at her hopelessly. "Those kids are doomed..."

"Don't talk like that... You're starting to worry me, Bruce. You... You don't sound like yourself. I know you, and you're not timid."

"I'm sorry... It's just that this is all so... New. I'm in way over my head. The Batman isn't supposed to get married and have kids... It just doesn't seem right."

"Says who? I think it's perfect. Like you've said... The world will always need a Batman. You owe it to the world to pass on the qualities that make you so incredible and unique."

"Absolutely not. There's no way that _either_ of those kids is ending up like me. No way in hell..."

Zatanna chuckled. "You see? You do have a shred of paternal instinct after all. You just have to keep your head up, and everything will be okay. Just trust me. You can do it, Bruce. You've faced bigger challenges and come out on top. Just look at this as another challenge for you to overcome... Just don't deal with this the way you usually do. Kids don't do well with that kind of thing. How is Diana handling it?"

"She's delighted. I don't know how she could be so excited..."

"She knows that it's going to be alright. She has faith in herself, and in you. You have good judgement, and that's the important thing."

Bruce looked up, genuinely starting to feel better. "Thanks, Zanna. That really helps."

"Hey, anytime. I'm glad that you feel you can trust me enough to confide in me like this."

"Yeah... Right."

Suddenly, a thought struck Zatanna. "Bruce... Diana was made out of clay?"

"Yes. And then brought to life. Don't ask me how."

"So... The whole pregnancy experience is completely foreign to her?"

"I guess it would have to be..."

"Bruce... Does she know how the babies are going to... You know..."

"I'm afraid that I don't see what you're getting at..."

"Does she know how they're going to... get out?"

She saw the color instantly drain from his face, leaving him white as a ghost. "Oh god... You have to tell her."

"Why me? She's _your_ wife!"

"Exactly! She'll say it's _my_ fault!"

"Are you saying that it isn't?"

"No... But..."

Zatanna rolled her eyes. "I'm thinking that you might want to have your doctor friend handle this one... Not my department. If you need somebody to talk to... I'll be there... But this... Yikes. You sure know how to pick 'em, don't ya?"

Bruce sank lower on the couch, wondering why he could never seem to catch a break.

Author's Note: There we go, another fun one. Just one more thing that I wanted to get out of the way before things get messy. Once I dive into the plot, there isn't going to be too much room for this kind of scene, so I figured that I'd let the people who enjoy this stuff get their fill for those of you who want action, you don't have log to wait.

Now for something that I've been meaning to address for a while. As of chapter 16, you have officially tolerated fifty chapters of my bullshit. _Fifty._ So I figured that this would be a good opportunity to once again say thanks to those of you keeping up with the story. You're all too kind, especially those of you who've left me reviews to help me better the story. I thank you all, and look forward to writing more for you.


	20. Hello, Hooray

Author's Note: Well... I can't really think of a way to intro this chapter, so I'm just going to jump in. Just stick with it for a bit, everything will be explained.

"No, Dick. I'm not doing it. It's not safe."

Bruce stood in front of his adopted son and former sidekick, Dick Grayson, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. Dick had come to visit Bruce as soon as Zatanna had given him the news about Diana's ultrasound, and decided to pitch his Robin idea while he was in the neighborhood.

"Come on, Bruce, I just want you to meet him. It'll only take a second!"

"No. No more Robin. Especially not after what happened to Jason."

"You don't have to make a decision right now... But it would probably be in your best interest to meet with him..." Dick leaned in closer. "He knows your secret identity, after all..."

Bruce's eyes widened. _"You told him?"_ He hissed.

"Actually... No. And that's the impressive part. He figured it out. _On his own._"

Bruce's eyes widened even further. "But how?"

"A long time ago, he saw me performing at the circus... And then, years later, he saw us as Batman and Robin. And he recognized the way that I moved. After _years_. That should be enough to impress anybody- Even you."

"Bring him in."

"That's what I though. Dick went outside to bring in Bruce's unwelcome visitor. He returned in the company of a young boy of about fifteen. He had a very wiry stature, and messy jet-black hair (A/N: No, it's not fucking Harry Potter.) The boy nervously stuck out his hand. "H-hello..." He stuttered nervously. "I'm T-Tim. Tim Drake."

Bruce ignored his extended hand and carefully examined the boy. He seemed timid, which wasn't what Batman needed in a sidekick. Then again, he could hardly blame the boy for being nervous; he was meeting with the infamous Batman, after all.

The two stared at each other for a moment before Bruce broke the silence. "So... You want to be the new Robin, do you?"

Tim nodded vigorously. "Yes, sir!"

Bruce heard gentle footsteps behind him. He turned to see Diana approaching. She stepped forward to give Dick a hug. "It's good to see you again, Dick... Is this the kid?"

"Yep. That's him alright. Diana, this is Tim Drake."

She bent down to pat him on the head. "He seems like a nice boy."

"It's good to meet you too!" Tim piped up, his confidence seeming to have been lifted by Diana's kindness.

Bruce approached the boy, who snapped to attention under Bruce's cold glare. He fixed his gaze on the boy for a moment before speaking. "Follow me."

He turned and began to quickly walk away. Dick, Diana, and Tim followed shortly behind him. He led them to his study, and stopped in front of his grandfather clock. He abruptly turned to face Tim. "What you are about to see is never to be spoken of outside of these walls. If you tell anybody about what you've seen today... Then you will be lucky if you are allowed to live to regret it. Do I make myself clear?"

Diana and Dick both rolled their eyes at him, but Tim was terrified. "Y-yes sir..." He said, nodding weakly. Something about the way Bruce spoke made him want to apologize, even though he hadn't done anything. Just for a second, he wondered if he'd made a mistake approaching Dick, but he quickly refocused himself on his goal.

Without another word, Bruce opened the hidden door to the Batcave and began his descent down the staircase. Tim nervously followed him. He had to keep himself focused on the idea of being Robin, or he was sure that his will would falter. After what seemed like an eternity, they finally reached the bottom. Bruce turned to face his aspiring protege once again. "I must once again impress upon you the seriousness of the world that you wish to enter... You will face death on a nightly basis, and you will be lucky to escape with only extreme physical pain. Do you think you're ready?"

Tim slowly nodded. Bruce turned away from him. "So be it, then..." Out of nowhere, he whirled around and shoved his knee upwards, directly into Tim's stomach. He took a second to appreciate the look of surprise on the boy's face as he flew upwards before delivering a solid punch to the jaw.

Tim landed oh his side with a dull thud on the hard cave floor. "BRUCE!" Diana screamed in surprise. She moved to interfere, but Dick grabbed her arm to stop her. "Let him finish. The kid has to know what he's up against. And it's better that he learns from Batman than from the Joker." Diana stood down.

Bruce approached Tim, kicking him onto his back. The boy groaned a little bit. Bruce placed his foot on Tim's chest, and applied a light pressure. "This is only a taste of what you'll encounter every night. And there's no backing out. No going back. Are you sure that's what you want?"

Tim coughed and gasped for breath. Bruce increased the pressure on his chest. "ANSWER ME."

Tim coughed again, but sucked in a breath with all of his might. With all of his willpower nearly exhausted, he shouted his answer.

"YES!"

Bruce stepped off of Tim, leaving the boy to catch his breath. He approached Dick, while Diana went to make sure that Tim was alright.

"He has spirit. I'll give him that much."

"Indeed. So... What do you think?"

Bruce evaded the question. "What about his parents?"

"He doesn't have any. I've been fostering him for the past couple of months. I thought that you might be interested, though."

"How are his physical abilities?"

"Promising. I think that with a bit of training he could be a regular acrobat. He's in good shape over all. So... What do you say?"

"I'll think about it."

"Great, I'll drop by tomorrow so he can start to get used to the place!"

"I only said that I'd think about it."

"Bruce, you can deny it all you want, but I know that you need a partner. And You know that Tim is a perfect fit. I'll be back tomorrow." He grabbed Bruce's hand to shake it.

"Yo, Tim! We've gotta go, bud!" He looked over at Tim, who was trying to push away Diana as she licked her thumb to clean some dirt off of his face. It seemed that the pregnancy had driven her maternal instincts into overdrive. Tim jumped to attention, showing incredible spunk considering the beating he'd just received. The two of them left the cave, leaving Bruce and Diana alone.

"I still think that he seems like a very nice boy." Diana said.

"He's young. Far too young."

"But he's precocious. And besides... I think that we could both use a bit of practice with young children anyway." She said, gently rubbing her stomach.

Bruce looked up at the ceiling of the cave. He could see the eyes of the bats that dwelled there glaring at him, annoyed at having been awakened. He sighed as he processed the day's events, losing himself in thought. _'How do I always get myself wrapped up in these situations?'_

Author's Note: I figured that I'd up the theatricality on Bruce's part again, just for the chapter. It may seem a bit over the top, but that's what I was going for. I think this chapter turned out alright; it got some major plot details out of the way; I was counting on this taking several chapters. The next piece of the plot could take some twisting to get in place, but I have all day to work on it tomorrow. So expect that then.


	21. Go Hard or Go Home

Author's Note: Please, don't look into the backstory I gave Tim Drake; a lot of it is completely made up, seeing as the somewhat plausible origin story from the DCAU is actually Jason Todd's (a character that I'm reserving the right to include in this story), and the fact that Tim Drake's is pretty strange. Especially considering the fact that he was _not_ Bruce Wayne's ward for a lot of his tenure as Robin. How he kept _that_ from his parents, I'll never understand. So I took some details from his comic origin story played a little mix-and-match, and there you have it. But like I said, it won't matter. Just a small, basically irrelevant detail. A lot like the slightly modified secret identity I created for Diana, and then never mentioned again. It kind of needs to be said, but it won't matter much.

Bruce stayed true to his promise to ensure that Tim received the most brutal and rigorous training sessions possible. They sparred for hours at a time, not stopping until Tim collapsed from exhaustion. Then, Bruce would wait for him to wake up, and they would resume.

In spite of it all, Tim continued to show some impressive spunk. Now matter how hard he was hit, he never stayed down for down. He always jumped up quickly, ready to go again. As he grew used to Bruce's cold cynicism, his timidness began to dissipate. He slowly revealed himself to be much more confident than Bruce had been led to believe; sometimes, his attitude bordered on cocky. He regularly attempted to taunt Bruce, despite being at an incredibly severe disadvantage.

"Can't catch me!" He shouted as he backflipped across the floor of the Batcave. Bruce easily recognized the boy's attempts to fluster him into making a mistake, but the taunts still frustrated him a little bit. He leapt forward to catch up with Tim, launching a punch. Having learned a lot from hard experience that the Batman's punches were nothing to joke about, Tim dodged, and launched a flurry of punches of his own. Bruce easily absorbed the blows with his arms. He was about to retaliate, when he heard a cough from the entrance to the cave. He grabbed Tim's arm, lifting him and gently placing him on the ground. He then turned to face Alfred, who was standing in the doorway. "What is it, Alfred?"

"Ms. Gordon is hear to see you. She's waiting at the door."

"Thank you Alfred." He looked back at Tim. Tim stared back, with a pleading look in his eyes. Bruce sighed. "Fine, I guess we're done for today."

"ALRIGHT!" Tim shouted as he bolted towards the cave's exit, nearly knocking Alfred down the stairs in his rush to get to the television.

"HOLD IT." Bruce shouted after him. Tim froze in his tracks. "You're done training for now... But we have a guest. Come on, let's go."

Tim lowered his head in disappointment. Most of Bruce's friends were the either boring executives, or just spoiled rich people. Reluctantly, he followed Bruce to the front door.

He was surprised to see that Bruce's visitor was not a balding man in a suit, but rather an attractive red haired young woman in a wheel chair. She saw him, and rolled towards him with an intrigued look on her face. "So... This is the new kid?"

"That's him." Bruce answered.

"Hm... He's a bit small... He is cute, though!" She reached out to ruffle his hair.

"Hey!" Tim shouted, indignantly pushing her hand away. "Who are you anyway?" He demanded.

"Sorry, I'm Barbara Gordon... But you might know me as Batgirl."

His jaw dropped in shock. "You're... Batgirl? But she could... You know... Walk, and stuff..." He stopped suddenly, wondering if he'd said too much. She laughed at his blunt statement.

"Well... That was quite a while ago. But... I'm a bit curious. You don't look like much... At least Dick and Jason had some muscle..." she teased.

"Hey! I can fight!"

"Well then... Why don't you prove it?"

He looked at her in confusion, wondering if this was some kind of test. He looked at Bruce, who simply shrugged and stepped out of the way.

"Come get me, tough guy." Barbara taunted, wagging a finger at him. He approached her, and halfheartedly threw a punch towards her shoulder. To his surprise, she caught him by the forearm, pulled him in closer, and threw him to the ground. He looked up in shock, before jumping to his feet.

"Yikes... Well that won't happen again." He jumped in the air, launching a kick at her face. She moved her head to the side, pulling her arms up to protect herself. She managed to hit his leg with the side of her arm, sending him off balance. He crashed to the floor again.

"You're good kid... but too predictable. You hit hard, but that won't do you any good if you can't get a hit in."

Tim stood up to go on the offensive again, but Bruce stopped him. "That's enough... You're going to destroy my house. I think that you can go now."

Tim cautiously looked at Barbara as he left, apparently having learned his lesson about being vigilant. Once he was gone, Barbara spoke.

"That was pretty impressive... How long have you been working on him?"

"About a month."

She whistled in amazement. "Wow. So... Have you put any thought into giving him some field experience?"

"Not yet. He's too reckless."

"Trust me, Bruce. A kid like that will _never_ stop being reckless. Just look at Dick. Come to think of it, he really does remind me of Dick.. But anyway, I think that you'd best get him out there before it's too late."

"Before it's too late?"

"You know. When you need him. You don't want to desperately need his help, but have him to green to do anything. It's a lot to deal with, going out there in costume for the first time."

"A challenge that you rose to rather marvelously." He said sarcastically.

"Like I said, it takes a lot of getting used to." She narrowed her eyes. "Speaking of which... How are you and Diana handling things?"

"Who told you?"

"Dick."

Bruce cursed; it seemed that Zatanna had confided in some other sources, who in turn passed the information along. It was only a matter of time until all of Gotham knew.

"We're doing fine."

"You sure? Dick said that you were pretty worked up about it..."

"I'll get through it. How have you been lately?" He said, eager to change the subject from his looming fatherhood.

Her face brightened. "Great. I was actually accepted to do some testing for spinal tissue regeneration. They took a look at the damage, and they seem hopeful. The tech is pretty advanced."

"That's great news." He said, a genuine smile crossing his face as he leaned down to hug her.

"Bruce... Are you okay? It's not like you to get emotional."

"I want you up and walking as much as anybody. I really hope it works out for you."

"Me too... But remember, if I get my legs back, I'll be back in the saddle as Batgirl again before you know it!"

"Really?" His eyes widened. "I would think that you would want to avoid that after what happened with the Joker."

"Not really. He was after Barbara Gordon, not Batgirl, remember? It just goes to show that nobody's safe from people like him, and I might as well do what I can to protect the innocent, right?"

Bruce nodded absentmindedly as he became lost in thought, her words ominously echoing around his head. _'Nobody's safe... Nobody's safe..._

Author's Note: I think that I covered most of what I wanted to say before the chapter... But I just want to take a moment to talk about the next few weeks. I go back to school tomorrow, and I'm not sure how that could affect my updating schedule. I hope that the effects will be minimal, but I'm going to make a conservative prediction saying that I could have to slow my updates to once every two days, at least until I get into the swing of things. The upside to school is that I don't have to work during the school week, so that makes things a bit easier. I'll try to keep up, but we'll see how things go. Keep your fingers crossed!


	22. Reckoning

After three months of hard training, Bruce finally decided that it was time to give Tim a field test. He'd had Alfred make a new Robin costume; it was very similar to Jason's old costume, but tailored to fit Tim's tiny frame. Tim was ecstatic to receive his costume; he took it as a symbol that officially made him Robin, despite Bruce's repeated warnings that his first night was just a test, and that nothing was finalized yet.

Tim stared at his reflection in the mirror for about half an hour before Bruce finally ordered him to hurry up and get into the Batmobile. As soon as Tim leapt into the passenger seat, Batman closed the roof, and they began the patrol.

After about half an hour and no sign of trouble, Batman pulled over and flipped over the hidden video screen. He used it's touch interface to enter a passcode, and then connected to the Watchtower.

Tim didn't recognize the face that appeared on the screen. He could hardly be blamed, as it seemed to be completely featureless, in a rather literal sense. Tim couldn't make out eyes, nose or a mouth. From what he could see, the stranger seemed to be wearing a blue fedora, and a matching trench coat.

"Batman." The mysterious figure began in a remarkably calm voice. "I must say... I was very surprised when you contacted me."

"I need some information, and I think that you might be able to help me find it."

"I would certainly hope so."

"I trust that you've looked at the photos that I sent?"

"Yes... And they are most intriguing. Have you considered the possibility of an Annunaki uprising?"

Batman stared at the screen blankly. The Question sighed. "Of course not. It's a well known fact among conspiracy theorists (Batman rolled his eyes at the irony of the statement) that the world's governments are all controlled by an ancient race called the Annukaki. They have mostly reptilian qualities, but most modern Annukaki have bred with the human race, granting them the ability to shapeshift into a humanoid form once they've consumed human blood. They can then take power. This is the reason that royal families inbreed traditionally; it helps them to preserve their Annukaki bloodline, and keeps power within their families."

Batman bit his tongue; it took all of his discipline (and that's saying something) to keep himself from falling over in laughter. Once he thought he could trust himself to open his mouth without laughing, he spoke. "... And you believe this 'theory?"

"Why not?"

"Because it makes no sense at all. And you have no proof whatsoever."

"Unless you count the picture that you've provided me with."

"Right... Let me get this straight. You think that that monster was an ancient monster that has dwelled among people for years..."

"It would appear so."

"Right... Thanks."

"Of course. It's what I do."

Batman shut the screen down and slumped in his seat. It seemed that every time he tried to get information from somebody, his attempts backfired to make new mysteries. Everywhere that he turned for answers only made these mysteries more confusing.

Tim looked back and forth between Batman and the monitor for a moment in stunned silence. "... Who the hell was that?"

"Some nut."

"Is he another superhero?"

"You could say that. I wouldn't."

"Is he crazy?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."

Batman flipped on the police scanner. The dynamic duo listened in silence for a moment. Tim could barely understand what they were saying between the static and the jargon, but Batman seemed to have no trouble. After apparently hearing something he liked, he flicked the radio off and started driving again.

They stoppedin an alleyway a short distance away from a small convenience store. There were squad cars surrounding the building, and several police officers in the parking lot. Tim looked at Batman curiously. "What's going on?"

"Armed robbery. Evidently, the guy didn't get away fast enough, and now he's trying to threaten to kill hostages, but he doesn't have the spine. The Police could have it wrapped up in no time. Normally, I wouldn't even bother with this kind of thing."

"We're going in there?"

"No."

"What? Then why are we here?"

"_You_ are going in there."

Tim wasn't sure how to react. On one hand, Bruce was trusting him to go in alone, but then again, he wasn't sure that he could handle the pressure just yet.

"That guy has a _gun_."

"Yes. Yes he does. You'd better get used to that."

Tim braced himself, and prepared to exit the Batmobile, before he was stopped by Batman.

"One more thing; you can't let anybody see you."

"Are you serious? How am I supposed to do that?"

"Find a way."

Tim grumbled something unintelligible as he left the car. He scaled the fire escape of a nearby building to get a better view of the scene. The first obstacle would be to get through the police line. If he could get across, then he would have to deal with finding a way in that was unguarded. _Then_ he would have to find a way to deal with the criminal. As he thought it through, he realized that it would be nearly impossible for him, especially in his flamboyant costume. He thought for a moment, before grinning to himself. He could see the man in the window, holding a gun to a cowering employee's head.

Tim reached into his belt, and pulled out a batarang. He unfolded it, and carefully took aim. He recalled all his training and threw.

The Batarang landed in the very center of the parking lot, it's blade sticking into the tar. The officers looked for the source, but couldn't find it. Tim saw the thieve stare at the batarang in terror for a moment before dropping his gun in surrender.

"Occam's Razor... Impressive."

Tim jumped in shock. He whirled around to see Batman standing no more than three feet behind him.

"Occwhat?"

"Occam's Razor. The simplest solution is the best. Most people would have tried to charge into the building and hoped for the best."

"Right. Thanks..."

"Congratulations... Robin."

Author's note: Well... I'm pretty sure that this has been the longest break between chapters since I started writing here. I'm sorry, my circumstances aren't ideal for writing right now. Between writer's block and school, I'm having a bit of trouble with motivation. I've got a long weekend coming up starting tomorrow, so I should be able to start working through the writer's block after school tomorrow.

On the other hand... I have a bit of a surprise for you guys. I've registered with a site called Wallwisher- check it out. Once you get to the homepage, copy and paste "/wall/HeroesandCons" to the end of the browser address, and that will take you to a board that I've created for the story. This should make it easier to communicate and respond to people's questions and feedback, especially for those of you who don't have accounts here at . Wall Wisher requires no sign in, so anybody can try it out. So head on over there.

Side note for cajun strong man 2: Unfortunately for Tony, it doesn't seem likely. What with the Amazon's tendency to never leave Themyscira, and Tony's well-deserved reputation as a mysoginistic playboy, it doesn't seem like there's much of a chance that he'll get an Amazon. But then again, stranger things have happened.


	23. Good Times, Bad Times

Author's Note: Finally, the weekend is here. I have four days off from school, and I only have to work one of them (and only a five hour shift at that). So if you guys have been feeling neglected, I'll do my best to make it up to you. On another note... I take it the wallwisher idea didn't settle too well with you guys. Out of the 100+ people who read the last chapter, nobody used the wall. So I'll just assume that nobody really needs it. Just thought I'd put it out there for people who have questions. It really is a neat site, and totally anonymous. So I'll keep checking in there every once in a while, but I might just abandon it if nobody's interested. but enough of that... We've got a story to finish. Or start, really. Take your pick.

Diana groaned as she slumped over on the bed. She relaxed her muscles as she slowly settled down. She slowly lifted up her shirt and rubbed her belly thoughtfully. She was now showing quite visibly; it still shocked her a bit when she looked down and saw her stomach protruding out so far. She frowned and bit her lip. As much as she was enjoying this new experience, she was getting sick of being pregnant. While she loved the feeling of life growing within her, and realized that she should be honored to be the first of the Amazons to feel such a thing, she was growing anxious. She absolutely _hated_ her decreased mobility; she had gone from being able to punch down a super powered villain with her eyes closed to being unable to stand up unassisted without falling over in a few short months. She couldn't stand being unable to go help Bruce with his raids, and she felt like she was letting down the Justice League. She knew that she couldn't help her circumstances... But still. She'd sworn to fight crime, but had been forced to sit on the sidelines for eight months.

In addition to her restlessness, she was anxious to meet her children. She'd never imagined herself as a mother; the Amazons never reproduced. Hippolyta was the only Amazon allowed to have a child; motherhood was always far from the minds of the Amazons. Prior to her journey to man's world, she'd only seen two children in her lifetime; herself, and her adopted sister, Aresia (who'd been shipwrecked on the island while she was still young). However, once she'd ventured into the world of man, she'd taken an immediate interest in the small creatures. They were all so innocent and impressionable. But she'd still never imagined herself being a mother... Until it just happened. And while she was grateful, she wished that she could have planned things out a bit more. She was worried for Bruce's sake; she was ready to be a parent, but she knew that he had trouble adapting to changes.

She could see the strain that all of the recent changes were putting on him. First, she'd finally managed to convince him that he was ready for a relationship with her. But before they knew it, they discovered that she was pregnant. They quickly agreed to get married, if for no other reason than for the kid's sake. (Diana nearly collapsed when Bruce presented the idea). Diana been impressed by how he handled the onslaught of sudden changes, she couldn't help but worry that their newest discovery had been too much for him. He would never admit it, but she could tell that he was terrified of having to raise twins. Personally, she couldn't see what he was so afraid of; as far as she was concerned, it was a win-win situation. From what she'd heard, the birthing process was somewhat... Unpleasant, and she was glad that she would only have to go through it once in order to get two children. And she figured that it would be nice for the kids to have sibling companionship. But she couldn't get Bruce to see it that way. No, everything always had to be doom and gloom for him. But she could see his attitude slowly changing; he was beginning to come out of his shell a bit. As the weeks and months passed, she could see him change. While she knew that he was still anxious, she could see a bit of curiosity growing in him. He was nervous, but she could tell that he was as excited to meet the twins as she was. And she was proud of the progress that he'd made with Tim; accepting him as an ally was a huge step for him. She was surprised by how willing he was to take him in; he'd resisted a big, as he was bound to, but had allowed him to work as Robin with a minimum of fuss. She could see the positive effect that the partnership was having already; when Bruce returned from his patrols, he seemed less exhausted. having somebody to ease the load seemed to do wonders for Bruce.

She pulled her shirt down again. With some effort, she managed to stand up. She looked around the bedroom, wondering what to do now. She still had another month to go, and cabin fever was setting in worse than ever. Thanks to the added weight of her children, she couldn't even get down low enough for pushups (a lesson that she'd learned the hard way. She glared down at her belly for a moment before softening her gaze. She couldn't blame the children. But she still wished that they could hurry up already. She was sick of waiting. She wasn't sure if she could take another day of just lying around the manor. Not to mention that the extra load was getting a bit heavy, even for her.

She wanted to go out and find something to do, but that was pretty much out of the question. Her sudden and spontaneous marriage to Bruce had elicited powerful reactions from the residents of Gotham; whenever she left the house, she was nearly assaulted by paparazzi. Things had only gotten worse when they discovered that she was pregnant; Bruce was great at keeping things secret, but he could only hide it for so long. When she started to show, they leapt on her like starving dogs. Most magazines printed stories that were truly atrocious, not too mention hurtful. They accused her of marrying Bruce for his money and power, as if they knew half of the story. That was nothing compared to the assaults that she suffered at the hands of Bruce's fangirls. Any time that she left the house, they attempted to pelt her with eggs and fruit. It had little effect (she could block bullets, so catching an egg was easy enough), but was still hurtful. It could be assumed that at any time there was a group of them outside of the gate, waiting to harass her as she left the manor. It had gotten to the point where Bruce had had to call the Police Department to break them up.

Diana winced as she felt one of the babies kick. It was a powerful kick, and she felt the other twin retaliate immediately. She felt a flurry of movement, as if they were pushing against each other. She groaned and laid down again, pulling up her shirt again. She rubbed her belly and hummed soothingly; in a moment, the movement ceased, leaving the surface of her stomach calm once again. She sighed, wondering when the kids would finally be born.

Author's Note: I decided to try something a little bit different here. No dialogue at all, just musing. This is a bit of a wrap-up chapter; we'll be hitting the part of the story very soon. I've decided that I'll be splitting the story up into a few different sections. The second section should be moderately short. Then, we'll get to the third one, which is the one that you should really be excited for. If the story goes as planned, the fourth one will be the last. I've put up a new prompt on my wallwisher in an attempt to get things going there; it should be a good way for you guys to get involved in the story if you so desire. The instructions for getting there are at the end of the last chapter, so check that out. Next time, things are going to start to pick up. Maybe.


	24. Two Minutes to Midnight

Author's Note : It's official; I have _no more_ subplots that I can explore at this time. Yeah. So... I guess we'll just take things from there.

Bruce felt like he was about to pass out. He couldn't take any more. He fell backwards onto his bed. He'd just remembered that Diana's due date was about a week away. He'd pushed it to the back of his mind for as long as he could, but it him like a ton of bricks. There was no way out. In a week, he was going to be a father. Of course, the other scenario was completely unthinkable.

He knew that he'd been neglecting his duty as Batman for the past couple of weeks; he hadn't donned his cape at all, unless prompted by the Bat-signal. Commissioner Gordon had been contacting him as little as possible, possibly sensing that something was amiss, but more strange murder cases had been cropping up. Each case was increasingly gruesome. Most featured blood spatter that puzzled the forensics department, and no motives could be found. Most of the scenes also featured use of the blood to paint messages on the wall. Batman was now convinced that the Joker was behind the killings; in one home, the murderer had written "HA HA HA!" in huge letters, over and over again. In another strange case, he'd smeared the blood above the outside of the doorframe. Batman knew that there was more to the case than he was seeing, but he couldn't bring himself to focus. There was just too much going on his life. He'd practically abandoned the Justice League as of late; they all understood his predicament, but he couldn't stand the fact that he was letting them down. As much as he claimed to hate being a team player, he hated being the weakest link even more.

His thoughts were interrupted by heavy footsteps. He looked up to see Diana in the doorframe, looking exhausted.

"Those... Stairs... Killing me..." She panted as she sat down on the bed. Bruce shot her a look.

"You're nine months pregnant with twins. You shouldn't be climbing stairs."

"Relax, I'm Wonder Woman, remember?" She said, grinning at him. She didn't like to be patronized, but she enjoyed the fact that he was concerned. "You look tense, Bruce. Care to talk?"

"No."

"You're not fooling anybody, Bruce. We both know that talking is good for you. I'm sure that you're familiar with the work of Sigmund Freud?"

"I'm not a fan."

"Of course not. But like he said... Bottling your emotions up is bad for you. Very bad. You don't need to convince me that you're tough. That's why I'm here. You can let your guard down."

He sighed. "It's just all too much. I can't handle it all. This is what I was afraid of..." He paused for a moment. "All of these... Distractions."

Diana looked hurt. "You don't really mean that, do you?"

He thought for a moment. "No." He said slowly. "But I don't know what else to call it. There's too much going on, and I can't deal with it all."

"I know it's hard, but you need to stop thinking that you're all alone. You don't have to do this on your own, Bruce. I'm here to help you, and Alfred will be there for the kids when you and I have to deal with our other responsibilities. But for now, just try to relax and forget about Batman for a while."

Bruce nodded, and flipped on the television. He knew that he'd never be able to get rid of the Batman, but he could at least try not thinking about him for a couple hours. But it was not to be.

The first sign of trouble came when the sound cut out on the news station that Bruce and Diana were watching. It was replaced by a faint murmuring. Bruce flipped through channels curiously. It was the same on every channel. After a moment the picture vanished as well. The screen came back to life momentarily, but the picture was different. It showed an empty newsroom. Diana gasped, and Bruce focused in as a shadowed form shuffled sideways onto the screen; it was the unmistakeable figure of the Joker.

"Hello, people of the world!" He shouted, jumping forth into the light. "It's your good ol' Uncle J. again! Are you ready to have some fun? No? Well it doesn't matter! I'll have my fun one way or another. So just sit tight, and hope that the Batman is out there somewhere, watching me."

Bruce jumped to attention. When the Joker was this direct, it never meant anything good. As he watched, the Joker continued his tirade. "You see, I've been trying _real_ hard to get in contact with my old friend Batsy over the past couple of months, and what do I have to show for it? Bupkis! That's what. So... I've been forced to resort to some rather drastic measures. I've played my hand, tried every clever trick in the book, and _still nothing._ So I'm going to blow some stuff up. I really hate to have to pull the same trick twice, but you've left me no choice! I've set up more of my special Joker bombs, but this time, I've gone all out! It's taken some time, but I've managed to spread my bombs across every civilized nation _in the entire world._ Yes, that's right, you could be standing on one right now! So go ahead and run, but don't forget that my bombs are everywhere! So there's nowhere to run to anyway! And the best part is, there's no way to disable them! If you so much as look it a bomb, you could set it off! Now you may wonder why I'm bothering to tell you all of this in the first place, if there's no way to prevent all of this. While it's true that it would be futile to attempt to deactivate all of the bombs manually... I just so happen to have a device that can do it remotely. But... I don't want to see any police. Got it? If anybody without a cape shows up, I detonate all of the bombs at once. Now... Hurry up! The first bomb is set to go off in-"

An eardrum shattering explosion rocked the foundation of Wayne Manor. Bruce pulled Diana onto the floor and jumped on top of her. The windows shattered from the force of the blast.

"Whoops, must have made a small miscalculation, won't happen again folks!" The Joker continued, chuckling slightly. "Now where was that bomb... Oh right! I remember! That must have been the gas station bomb! Oh dear... That one's going to be messy. So... Hurry up, Batman. I hope I didn't just blow him to pieces... That would be a lot of work for nothing..." He mumbled as he walked off the screen. The picture cut to a white screen displaying coordinates.

Bruce helped Diana to her feet. They looked at each other silently for a moment before Diana spoke. "Well? What are you waiting for?"

Bruce nodded. "I'm going down to the Batcave. Get Tim, and brief him on the situation." Diana nodded, and they both left the room.

Batman and Robin were ready to go within fifteen minutes. Tim jumped into the Batmobile quickly, a bit excited despite the circumstances. Diana watched with her arms crossed over her chest; she wanted nothing more than to go with him and make sure that he stayed safe, but there was no way. She pulled him aside to talk for a moment. "Don't get yourself killed."

"Don't worry."

Having said his bit, he jumped into the Batmobile and took off. Diana sighed as she turned to the Batcomputer so she could keep up to date on the situation. She wasn't going to let Batman's death-wish get the best of him today.

Author's Note: Once again, I'm sorry this took so long. I don't really have an excuse here, just a lack of motivation. I had a lot to pack into this chapter, and I wanted to make sure that I got it all in there.

Now we're getting into the core of the story. There are still some parts of this plan that have yet to be explained, so don't write it off yet. This marks the beginning of the end of the first section of the story. You may not be able to see it yet, but things are starting to shape up.

So... As you should know by now, I'm bringing babies into the story. The one thing that I didn't really consider here... Names. Oops. I have one, but the other one is still up in the air. Anybody have any ideas?

I think that I've been taking the wrong approach with wallwisher. From now on, I'm going to be using it as more of a public information center; so that's where to go if you're wondering about why I'm taking so long, etc. I'll still take questions and advice there, but from now on I'll primarily be using it as a way way post updates in between chapters.

I think that that covers everything. There might be an update tomorrow, but it could be a couple of days. We'll see how things go.


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